When the Levee Breaks
by Haitus80
Summary: (AU) When Carol and her teenage daughter move to a new town they have a small window of freedom that they take advantage of. Carol finds herself having a one night stand with a stranger that spirals out of control and throws her and Sophia both headlong into a dangerous world that neither even knew existed.
1. Chapter 1

**I wrote this under the guise that I had complete freedom to do whatever I wanted to do without the outrage that sometimes follows posting chapters to fanfiction. I wrote it because even though I hate the drama, I still love the ship and I can't NOT write. It's just what I do. But after a while, the closer I got to wrapping it all up, I decided that there are a lot of silent readers out there that have nothing to do with all of the negative stuff. So why shouldn't they get to read? Not only that but some of you have been with me since my very very rocky beginning! So if I'm going to write, I'm going to share.**

 **Halohunter89 pushed for this. She did a lot to help me get this thing written and refused to let me post until it was complete. She's totally the backbone of this story. So thank you! Vickih is another one that is wonderful and totally encouraging! And thanks a ton to the rest of you for giving it a shot!**

 **Chapter One**

The day was one of those perfect days that made most people instantly thankful to be alive. The sunlight spilled down from between the canopy of leaves overhead onto the picnic table. There was a cool late Spring breeze blowing and the scent of flowers hung heavy in the air. Despite this obviously beautiful day Sophia Peletier sat alone, picking at the crust of her peanut butter and jelly sandwich miserably.

Finding out she would have to move away from the only home she had ever known had been hard news for her to take but she hadn't thrown a fit when her mother had told her about the move. She had smiled and nodded because her mother's life was hard enough and Sophia would never dare purposely add to her mother's misery. So she had pretended to be excited about moving from Atlanta to this tiny town. A town where all the kids had known each other since they were old enough to walk. A town where newcomers were instantly looked at as outsiders. Maybe it wouldn't have been as hard on her to start her Junior year at a new school that was so much smaller than her old one. But she hadn't started the year out here and coming in this late in the game only made her stick out more.

Most of the kids ignored her. The ones that didn't ignore her either stared at her like she was a freak of nature or they whispered amongst themselves, making her feel even more like an outcast. It wasn't like she had been Miss Popular at her old school. But she had managed to carve out her own little niche there. She'd had friends. Well, maybe not friends but a group of acquaintances. She knew everyone and she had never been an oddity. Here she was a total freak show. It didn't help that she wasn't making any effort to meet anyone. She didn't smile at them or try to introduce herself. She had simply gone through the motions and now, five days after her first day, she wished she could just get over her shyness and just speak to someone. Anyone.

At least she was pretty sure that she had everyone figured out. She knew who was in what clique. That meant that she knew who to avoid if she ever did decide to talk to anyone. Right now, the group at the table next to hers, were definitely a group to avoid. The girls were perfect. The boys were perfect. All of them had perfect hair and perfect clothes perfect looks and they made it a point to rub it in the face of anyone that wasn't as perfect as them. Sophia didn't like being so judgmental but it was true. It was this group that liked to look over at her, whisper to one another and then giggle loudly as they glanced in her direction, letting her know that she was the subject of their banter. She hated it because she knew they were doing it on purpose. People like that had to let people like her know that they were better than she was.

She glanced their way when she heard someone speak much louder than necessary. "She's obviously too lame to even fit in with the lame crowd. How awful would it be to be such a loser that losers won't even sit with you at lunch?"

Delighted laughter followed and Sophia felt her face flush with humiliation. The girl that had spoken so loudly was a pretty brunette that was nearly sitting in the lap of a boy that was shaking his head and smiling. The girl met Sophia's eyes before Sophia looked back down at the sandwich she had pretty much shredded.

"Oh, come on now Sara. You wouldn't be half as popular if you had kept your legs closed at all last year."

Sophia's head shot up and for the first time noticed the group sitting at the table behind the mean kids. The person that had spoken was the only girl at the table. The boys she was sitting with were basically the bad boy types. Ripped jeans, leather jackets, perpetual scowls. The girl was sitting on the picnic table with her feet crossed at the ankles on the bench as she leaned back on her arms. She had wild dark red hair and green eyes that were now flashing angrily. She was eying the girl that had pretty much called Sophia a loser. She was small with delicate elven features that Sophia instantly envied but despite her stature she seemed to take up a lot of space.

"Mind your own business, freak," the dark haired girl, Sara, mumbled.

To Sophia's surprise the group of perfect kids didn't say anything else. Sophia started cleaning up her wasted lunch, not wanting to get sucked into any drama that may unfold on her behalf. She was grateful, if not a little surprised, that the red head had came to her defense so readily, but she didn't need any more attention than she already got.

"What's your rush new kid?"

Sophia looked up, feeling her face flush again. This was the first time in five days that anyone had spoken to her at this school and it was stupid of her to feel the need to run off, but this girl had to be trouble. She looked like trouble. She sounded like trouble. And the last thing Sophia could afford to do was get herself mixed up in any sort of trouble. "I don't wanna be late to class," she said hurriedly.

"Bullshit. We've still got twenty minutes."

Sophia tried to smile but she wasn't sure if she was successful. The girl sat down across from her, her face expressionless as her narrowed gaze studied Sophia's eyes. Sophia cleared her throat. "I thought it was later than that," she said quickly.

"You know," the girl said, plucking Sophia's sack lunch up and peeking inside. "I've heard about you." She pulled out a Twinkie, unwrapped it and then took a bite.

"Heard about me? There isn't anything to hear," Sophia said.

The girl shrugged. "I've been MIA all week but words gotten around that you're a freaky mute or something."

Sophia opened her mouth to say something but then shut it, not knowing exactly how to respond to that. When she finally spoke she had to clear her throat again. "Well, I'm not a mute."

"Well no shit, Miss Obvious." The girl grinned. "Look, you have to ignore that group." She motioned towards Sara and her friends at the next table. Her voice was far from quiet and the group was watching her with angry looks on their faces. "Sara and that whole crew are just your average assholes. The girls screw any jock that shakes his thing at them and that's how they stay so high on the board around here. The jocks are mostly roid fiends with big heads and shriveled sacks if you get my drift. They're a bunch of ineffectual self serving dicks."

Sophia's face was flaming. It wasn't like she didn't fully understand what the girl was saying but she wasn't used to people being so blunt about things. She was also worried about everyone else assuming that she shared the red head's opinion. She was okay being invisible and occasionally ridiculed but she didn't want to walk around the school with a bulls eye on her back because of this girl. Before she could say anything the girl was talking again.

"Besides," she shrugged and flashed Sara a grin before her eyes came back to meet Sophia's. "You're kind of hot. They're scared of that. A mysterious good looking new girl shows up and that could spell trouble for them. They want all the attention and you're a threat. You ain't a freak."

Sophia was stunned into silence again for a few long moments before she was able to gather her thoughts. Who in the world was this person? "I doubt that," she managed.

"Look, I'm Piper. You can chill with us at lunch and those dudes I was sitting with may look like barbarians but they're actually pretty cool. And for the love of God, stop taking so much shit, new kid. They'll never let up on you if you don't stick up for yourself."

"I... thanks. I think," Sophia said, ignoring the urge to look at her watch.

"You got a name?" Piper asked as she rose from her seat.

"Sophia," she said quickly, grabbing her backpack and standing up to join Piper. Something occurred to her then and she couldn't help but ask. "What did you mean when you said that you've been MIA?"

Piper grinned. "I just got done with a three month stint in Juvie."

Sophia nearly tripped. Surely she hadn't heard that right. "What?"

Piper shrugged and pulled the door open, letting Sophia go in ahead of her. "I got in a little trouble for breaking a few things and ended up arrested. I thought my old man was gonna blow a gasket."

"What could you have broken that would get you into trouble like that?" Sophia asked, unable to mask the awe in her voice. Piper was definitely different from anyone else she had ever met before.

Piper sighed and stopped at a locker that was just a few away from Sophia's. "I broke the bathroom mirror."

Sophia frowned. "Well, that doesn't seem so terrible."

Piper's quiet laughter had her glancing over. "Well, I don't guess it would have been but I broke it with Sara's face." She slammed her locker and flashed Sophia a grin. "I'll see ya around, Sophia."

Sophia would have responded had her mouth not been hanging open. She had experienced a lot in her sixteen years but she was pretty sure that she had never met anyone like Piper in her life. Against her better judgment she was actually looking forward to the next time she was able to talk to the girl.

 **I just wanted to remind some of you that this is an AU. The characters in this story have lived vastly different lives from the characters in the show and are written as so. And there are OC's. If you don't like them then that's completely okay! I still have mad love for you. But please, for the love of Christ, don't message me about how much they suck. If you don't like them, just go read something that is a better fit for you. Because this story is complete. Finished. Already written. Lol I won't change it to suit one person. Not when I know that there are people out there that love it already.**


	2. Chapter 2

**So glad that you guys like it so far. And hearing from you silent readers was the icing on the cake. Thank you guys a ton! Much love! Oh, and there is actually some Caryl in this second chapter. Lol Hope you enjoy!**

 **Chapter Two**

The rest of the day didn't drag by like it normally did. Only three classes followed lunch and one of the boys that Piper had been sitting with were in two of them. Sophia didn't even know his name but he sat next to her in History. He didn't say much but it was nice just to look over and see a friendly face. Well, it wasn't exactly friendly. The boy looked a little dangerous, but he flashed her a grin, making her feel like she wasn't completely alone. She wanted to get a better look at him but it seemed like every time she glanced over, he was watching her with a half smirk on his face. He was tall, muscular, dark eyed. His hair was dark and long, well past his shoulders. He was gorgeous and she was Sophia so she didn't even flirt with the idea of talking to him.

To her surprise the same boy was in her Science class. She had been here five days and hadn't noticed him at all. She really must have been out of it. When the teacher, who seemed to hate her, told them that today they would need to pair up with someone she slumped in her chair.

She nearly fell out of her seat when she heard the teachers voice call her out.

"Miss Peletier, I said to choose a partner. That doesn't mean you get to sit there and not even try to participate."

Sophia heard the snickers from the rest of the class and felt her face flush. She cried out in surprise when the boy grabbed her desk and yanked it over so quickly that it slammed into his own. The teacher, Mr. Davis, scowled at them both.

"There. She's got a partner now," the boy said in a gruff voice.

Sophia just stared at him wide eyed for a second but his eyes were locked on the teacher's, a clear challenge there. She wasn't exactly sure what was going on but she felt uneasy when Mr. Davis looked away. Those kids at lunch hadn't put up much of fight when Piper challenged them either. It wasn't the way these high school dynamics were suppose to play out. There was a certain order to things. It was clear that this school was different. Somehow, Piper and her group seemed to be the ones that called the shots. The popular kids were a level below them and that wasn't normal at all.

"You think about it any harder and you're gonna bust a vessel," the boy whispered.

She glanced over and he was watching her, his brown eyes cool as he waited for her to speak. She risked a moment to take in his face and was more impressed now than she had been before. He had chiseled features but his face still held enough boyish roundness to it to make him cute. She remembered Piper saying something about people thinking she was a mute so she cleared her throat. "What's your name?" She asked, hoping she didn't sound like a complete idiot.

The slow smile he gave her told her that he didn't think she was an idiot at all and she felt herself flushing deeper. "Damon."

She nodded and opened the book in front of her to the page that Mr. Davis told them to turn to. She glanced up when Damon leaned further into her space.

"If you wanna pass this then you gotta share your book," he said in a low voice.

"You don't have a Science book?" She asked, feeling the beginning of a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

He shook his head. "Lost it."

"Lost it?" Sophia asked.

He nodded and then met her eyes. "Actually me and Piper blew it up. Same difference. It ain't here and now you're stuck sharing."

Sophia shook her head, no longer feeling the need to question anything he said. She didn't mind sharing her book. It was better than being stuck getting a zero for not being able to find a person willing to pair up with her.

~H~

Daryl pulled up to the curb and let the bike idle. He would have taken the truck but when he had came out this morning to head to the garage the damn thing had a flat tire. He hadn't had time to change it yet so he was stuck picking up his niece on the damn bike. He ignored the stares he was getting from the parents picking up their kids. The urge to flip off one woman in particular was hard to resist but he managed. After shooting her a glare that had her attention going back to her phone he watched the doors to the school, more than ready to get the hell out of there.

When Piper finally emerged, one of the last ones of course, he breathed out a sigh of relief. This meant she had managed to stay the whole day. He had wondered after the fit she had thrown about going back in the first place. She had just gotten home the night before and they weren't about to let her miss school. Daryl assumed she would ditch.

He gave a slight nod to the boys that were walking with her and then he realized that there was a new face among them. He was a little surprised to see Piper walking next to a coppery haired girl. Piper, as a rule, stuck to her own kind. Those were her words. This girl was obviously not one of Piper's kind. The girl looked like any other girl at the school.

"Why the hell didn't you fix the tire?" Piper called as she veered off from the boys as she headed his way. She pulled the taller girl along with her.

"No time," he grumbled.

She stopped on the sidewalk and motioned to the girl. "This is Sophia. Sophia, this is my uncle."

Daryl gave the girl a stiff nod.

"Nice to meet you, sir," Sophia said, shifting on her feet.

He felt his eyes widen. What the hell was Piper doing hanging around a kid that actually had manners. "Uh... you too, kid."

Piper grinned. "She's a total trip, right?"

"Yeah, maybe you'll learn a thing or two," he said dryly.

Piper laughed at this. "In your dreams, old man."

Sophia glanced over then, a frown creasing her brow. "Crap," she muttered. "That's my mom over there. I need to go see if I can help her. I'll see you Monday Piper and... Thanks for everything."

Piper nodded and then plucked the cell phone from Sophia's hand, fiddling with it for a few moments before handing it back. "Give me a call if you get bored. Maybe you can come over to the wrong side of the tracks and get into some... fun." She winked.

Sophia glanced at the number, smiling widely. Daryl decided to not mention the fact that Piper's ass was still on lock down. She wasn't going anywhere unless him or Merle was with her. Meaning, she would likely be hanging out in a garage all weekend if she wasn't at home. Sophia waved and walked away. Daryl eyed Piper. "So what the fuck is that all about?"

Piper shrugged and took the helmet he handed to her. "The guys said she's been getting shit all week. She seems like a decent person so I figured I would help her out."

"You're gonna get her ass in trouble is what you're gonna do. You should just leave the girl alone."

Piper was staring off in the direction of the retreating girl. "She said she needed to go help her mom. Looks like a job for super Daryl," she muttered as she pointed.

Daryl glanced over and sure enough Sophia was standing there in front of a car with the hood up. There was someone bent over, looking under the hood.

"Stop staring at her mom's ass and go do something. She's holding up traffic back there," Piper kicked him in the side of the leg.

Daryl shook his head and grudgingly tore his gaze away from the woman's ass. "None of my damn business. Now get on so we can get the fuck home."

Piper narrowed her eyes. "You're such a dick. This is why my dad gets more women than you," she grumbled as she stalked off towards the car.

"Goddamn it," he hissed as he killed the engine and climbed off the bike. He had no choice but to follow her. Why couldn't the kid ever listen? She was worse than Merle. "And your dad don't get half the ass he pretends to get. He's all talk."

"Should I call dad?" He heard Sophia asked once they were within earshot.

The woman raised up, her arms braced on the car as she stared inside. She ran a hand through her curly auburn hair. "No. Surely I can figure it out."

"Mom, you don't know what you're doing," Sophia said, peering over the woman's shoulder.

"And you think he does?" The woman snorted.

"Stand back and let this dude do his magic," Piper called, causing Daryl's ears to turn red. Why the hell did her and her dad always put him in these situations?

The woman turned sharply. He expected her to look at him and Piper both with suspicion but she simply blinked, taking him in with a quick sweep of her wide blue eyes. He wasn't one for staring. He had little to say to most people and avoided making eye contact because that usually led to conversation and there wasn't a damn thing he needed to say to people that he didn't know. With that said, he found himself staring right at the woman, noting that her eyes were the exact same shade of blue as the sky at the moment and then he shook the sentimental thought from his mind.

"It's okay, I don't want to trouble you," she said quickly.

Piper spoke before he could open his mouth to say anything. "He don't mind. He lives for this kind of shi- thing." She elbowed him hard in the ribs. "Ain't that right, Daryl?"

He sighed. "I can take a look at it." He waited for her to step away before he looked down. Instantly he saw the problem. He quickly took the battery cables off, knocked off some of the corrosion and then motioned for someone to give it a try once the cables were back on.

The woman got in and turned it over, a relieved laugh escaping her before she got back out and made her way over to where he was standing. He shut the hood and took a step back. "I can't believe you fixed it in fifteen seconds. I would have called a tow truck. Thank you so much."

"It ain't fixed exactly. You need to replace those cables. Maybe even the battery but that'll do you for now."

"Well, thank you," she said again, holding out her hand. "I'm Carol."

He looked at the hand for a second but before Piper could elbow him again he clasped it in his own and gave it a quick shake. "Daryl."

She dropped his hand and grinned at Sophia. "Well, before the people behind us start honking, we should go. It was nice meeting you, Daryl."

He stood there like a dumb ass as they got into the car.

"Shoulda got her number," Piper said as she waved at Sophia as they pulled away.

"No, I shouldn't have. Let's get the fuck outta here."

Piper didn't argue, which he took as a good sign. The last damn thing that he needed was for her crazy ass to try to set him up with some married woman.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for reading! Hope you're all having a great weekend!**

 **Chapter Three**

Carol turned on the water as hot as she could stand it and added a few drops of lavender scented oil. She lowered herself into the tub, wincing as the water stung her skin. Closing her eyes she let the heat seep into her bones, relaxing her tired muscles. She breathed deeply, clearing her mind as best she could. She had two more days of peace and quiet before her life finally returned to normal.

It had been just her and Sophia in the new house all week while Ed finished up his notice at work. It had been peaceful, if not busy. Her and Sophia had enjoyed themselves immensely while Ed was away and the week had really given Carol a chance to reevaluate her life. Her and Sophia had moved into the house as soon as the movers had delivered everything on Sunday. They had unpacked and organized for a few days and then fell into a comfortable rhythm. Sophia never complained about anything but Carol could tell that she wasn't having an easy time at school, even though she never mentioned it. So Carol made it a point to entertain the girl.

They spent a lot of time exploring the small town and it was safe to say that they knew nearly every inch of it by now. They took long walks and talked about anything that came to mind. They ate too much pizza and they watched too much television. Without the constant gloom that was Ed hanging over them they had bonded in a way that Carol had never dreamed of. Her daughter was becoming a beautiful and amazing woman and she hadn't even realized it until this week. But now they were down to just a few more days of this blissful freedom and Carol was dreading the return of her husband.

Her marriage was better now than it had been in the earlier days after Sophia was born. For quite a few years things had been at their worst. He had beaten her down physically and emotionally, breaking her heart and her spirit. She had never expected her life to turn out how it had. Ed had been her first real boyfriend. She had found herself pregnant with Sophia the summer before her senior year and, after a lot of pressure from their parents, had married him shortly after she found out. Things had been okay for a while but then things changed. He started drinking heavily, becoming more and more aggressive. It got bad. Those were dark days. Now things were better than they had been. He was still cruel with his words and his temper was still explosive but the blows were now few and far between.

She opened her eyes and reached for the wine glass that she had sat on the side of the tub, taking a small sip and willing those memories away. There was no use crying over spilled milk. The past was exactly that. The past. Ed was more tolerable and her life could have easily turned out worse. But she still couldn't shake that feeling that had been with her all week. She was almost thirty five years old and she felt like she hadn't lived at all. Her and Sophia had been having so much fun together all week that she had forgotten what it was like to just breath and enjoy the moment. She had forgotten what it was like to not have to walk around on egg shells. And that was exactly what they had to do when Ed was around.

By the time she finally got out of the tub the water had grown cool. Her and Sophia had plans to walk to the river and then have dinner at one of the few restaurants along main street. She was surprised to find Sophia in her room, rummaging through her closet.

"What are you doing?" Carol asked, toweling her hair dry.

Sophia turned, smiling mischievously. "You should wear this, mom," she said excitedly, holding up a skirt that she recognized as her daughter's. It was one she had bought her for school but Sophia hadn't worn it yet.

"You're father would have a heart attack, Sophia," Carol said, as she took the skirt from her.

"He isn't here. I hate the clothes he makes you wear. You have great legs, mom. Take advantage of him being gone and show them off. What will it hurt? We only have a few days left."

Carol regarded the skirt with a critical eye. "You're ridiculous. I'm too old to wear your clothes. Besides, I'm married. I don't need anyone checking out my legs."

"Piper's uncle wasn't doing much to hide the fact that he was checking out your butt when you were bent over the car this afternoon," Sophia said, her grin widening.

Carol felt herself flush from her neck to her hairline. With a sigh she gripped her daughter by the arm and ushered her out of the bedroom. "Get out," she said as she pushed her through the door with an indulgent smile. "I might try it on." She shut the door before Sophia could say anything else and let the towel fall to the floor.

Sophia had a point. Most of her own clothes were pretty hideous but who did she have to impress? Instead of tossing the skirt to the side she slipped on a pair of plain cotton underwear, a black lace bra and then shimmied into the skirt. Now she realized why Sophia hadn't worn it yet. It was probably against the dress code. She should have realized that it would have been too short since the girl was nearly taller than her now. The black fabric fell just above mid thigh and she flushed at the thought of wearing something so revealing outside.

"Holy crap!"

Carol spun around and found Sophia staring at her with wide eyes. Carol blinked and then something hit her in the face. She caught it before it hit the floor and held up a white tank top with lace trim. She quirked a brow. "Sophia-"

"Mom, please. You look so great. It's just one stupid night. Lets have some fun."

"This bra is black. I can't wear a white tank top with a black bra. It's obscene," she muttered, hating to burst Sophia's bubble.

Sophia held up a hand and then ran out of the room only to return with a black jean jacket that Carol had actually seen her wear the other day. "Here," Sophia said as she shoved the jacket into Carol's hands. "Oh my God, you're gonna look amazing."

Carol groaned and slipped the jacket on. "Okay. Here's the deal. I'll actually leave the house in this ridiculous get up but we aren't walking. We're driving to that Chinese place outside of town, we eat, we rent a few bad movies and then we come back home. Deal?"

Sophia looked like she was ready to agree but then she shook her head. "No deal. Not unless you also wear the boots you got me last week."

Carol gaped at her. "Sophia..."

"Mom!" Sophia wailed, turning mom into a multi syllable word.

"Fine, but we call in the order, you go in to pick it up and the only time I get out of the car is to run to the Red Box and pick out the movies."

Sophia narrowed her eyes but then finally nodded. "Deal. But I really wish you would just go out. You really do look amazing."

"You're sweet, and biased." She really was happy to see her daughter so happy and this was the only reason that she was actually doing this. It was nice seeing her so carefree. "So, tell me about this new friend of yours. She seems nice," she said as she finished getting dressed.

Sophia's eyes widened. "She's nice to me. I'm not really sure how to take her and her friends though. They're really... I don't know how to explain it. I guess they are kind of a mystery to me."

"Well, I'm glad you've finally made a friend. I was worried about you. You're good at hiding how miserable you've been but I know you. This hasn't been easy on you."

Sophia met her eyes. "Things aren't ever easy on you either but you don't complain or sulk about it."

Carol felt a deep sadness well up, making her throat feel thick.

Sophia smiled quickly. "But we have a few more days. Let's make the best of them, okay?"

Carol nodded. "I agree. Let's do what we can before your dad comes back and things go back to normal." She smiled but it was forced and from the look her daughter gave her, she knew it too. "Mom... Maybe it's time to finally just..."

"He's trying, Sophia. I know it doesn't seem like he is but he is. He promised that he wouldn't touch another drop of alcohol and that was the reason he did the things he did."

Sophia wrung her hands in front of her. "Just because he hasn't hit you in a while doesn't mean he treats you right. Mom, I'm not deaf." She shook her head angrily. "I love you and right now he isn't here so lets just go enjoy your hotness for a night and forget all about this, okay?"

Carol swallowed down her tears and laughed at Sophia's choice of words. "Lead the way," she said as she motioned for the door.


	4. Chapter 4

**Wanted to post this earlier since it's Mother's Day and all. Hope you all had a great one! Mine had a really crappy start but it got better as the day dragged on. Thanks for reading! =)**

 **Chapter Four**

Sophia was happy that she had talked her mom into actually going in to eat. She had agreed to just get take out but she wanted to spend as much time out of the house as she could since she knew that once her father was back it would become just as much of a prison as their other house had been. Her mom deserved to have as much fun as she could.

"I thought this place would be a lot more packed considering it's a Friday night," Carol said as they made their way to the car.

Sophia nodded in agreement, still unable to believe how her mom looked in her clothes. "What kind of movies are we after tonight?"

Carol shrugged. "You can pick. I actually wish you weren't stuck with me on a Friday. Isn't hanging out with your mom considered lame?" She winked and Sophia couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"You are far from lame. Especially tonight."

Now it was Carol's turn to roll her eyes as she turned the key in the ignition. The smile fell from her lips when nothing happened. Sophia groaned. "You have to be kidding me! He works at a car dealership! Can't he get us a car that doesn't suck?"

Carol popped the hood and got out without a word. Sophia scrambled out after her.

"Mom, looking at it isn't going to do it any good. You don't know how to fix it, remember?"

Carol cursed under her breath which surprised Sophia a little. Her mom never cussed. "What are we suppose to do now? We're five miles from home and as cute as you say these boots are, I don't want to walk home in them."

Sophia reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. "Then I'll call Piper and maybe she can have her-" Before she could finish the sentence her mother snatched her phone out of her hands.

"No!"

She stared at her mom with wide eyes and then she grinned. "Oh my God, you think he's hot! And you don't want him coming all the way out here because you don't want to have him see you looking hot because you know he'll think you're hot too!"

"Sophia, that is so far from the truth. I just don't want to bother him. It's late."

"Mom, it's eight o'clock. He didn't strike me as the type to turn in early on a Friday. But okay, lets walk then." She stepped around her, pretending like she was going to head for the road but Carol grabbed her by the arm.

"Fine," she groaned, shoving the phone back into Sophia's hand. "Call your friend."

~H~

Daryl tossed another piece of popcorn into the air, catching it easily on his tongue before he returned his attention to the T.V. screen. He was ignoring the glares from Piper but he could almost feel the venom in the look she was giving him from the other side of the couch.

"You could have talked him into letting me the hell outta here and you know it," she hissed.

Daryl shrugged. "You don't need to go nowhere."

She shook her head. "Just cause you're a lame ass doesn't mean the rest of us have to be."

He caught more popcorn, just because he knew it was pissing her off even more. "What the hell do you expect?" He asked, not looking at her. "You just get outta jail and you think we should just let you run wild again?"

"Like you said, I just got out of jail so maybe you should cut me some damn slack and let me enjoy my freedom."

He finally looked at her. "You fuck up one more time and your ass is gone for a long time, Piper. You know it."

"Yeah, and that's why I won't do anything stupid," she shot back angrily.

"Go outside and take it up with your dad. He made the call, not me."

"He's a damn hypocrite. How many times has he been locked up? Or you for that matter? This house is a goddamn prison!"

"Wow. I didn't know you were tryin' out for drama club, princess."

Before she could pop off with anything else her phone started blaring some heavy metal song. She picked it up and grinned. "Well I'll be damned," she muttered before answering. "What's up square?"

That caught his attention and he looked over at her. She was staring at him, one eyebrow raised.

"Right on. We'll be there in ten." She hung up without giving the person on the other end a chance to even say anything else. "Grab your keys. Sophia and her mom are stranded at the Wok. Car won't start."

He didn't move from his spot on the couch but his pulse quickened slightly. He ignored the weird feeling. "And you just volunteered my services without even askin'? I'm watchin' a movie here."

"This movie sucks ass and you can't just leave them stranded! There's freaks out there. What if they get picked up by some crazy raper or some shit? What if they get tied up in some creeps basement and get beaten to death over the course of a week and a half? What if they get hit by a car trying to get home tonight and they're both splattered on the road or what if-"

"If it'll shut you up then let's go," he growled, standing up and running a hand through his hair. "Things were a lot quieter around here without you, you know that?"

"You missed me, asshole. Don't lie," she shot back as she tossed him the keys to the truck.

Incredibly, it was true. He had missed her but he wasn't about to tell her that. She had a big enough ego already. Merle was out in the shed, working on a carburetor. He could have worked on it at the shop but he wanted to stick around since Piper hadn't been home in three months. He looked up as they made their way towards him.

"I'm goin' with Daryl to pick up a couple of chicks. Don't wait up," Piper said with a grin.

Merle grinned. "Yeah right. If he was pickin' up a couple of chicks he wouldnt' be takin' you with him. Where y'all headin'?"

Daryl shot them both a glare. "Piper's friend and her mom are stranded. I told her today to have that battery looked at. I got one at the shop that'll work."

Merle leaned against the work bench and wiped his hands on a rag. "It's Friday. Piper don't need to be anywhere near that place on a Friday night."

"Are you fucking serious right now!" Piper yelled, stomping her foot.

Daryl elbowed her. "I'll take her with me and she can drive the truck back with the girl. I'll take the kid's mom to the shop with me in her car. It's a fuckin' battery change so it'll only take a minute."

Merle and Piper shared a loaded look. "What's the mom look like, Piper?"

"She's pretty hot. He was checking out her ass today when he was picking me up from school. Then he may have stared into her eyes for an uncomfortable amount of time. It was great, you shoulda been there."

Merle turned around, missing Daryl flipping Piper off. He chuckled. "He ain't comin' home tonight if he was already checkin' her out. Make sure you get that truck back here as soon as you can, girl. No runnin' off."

Piper was strangely quiet as they made their way to the restaurant. It wasn't until they were almost there that she opened her mouth. "Maybe since I can't go anywhere then Sophia can just come to the house and hang out."

He glanced at her. "You mean like some kind of slumber party?" He chuckled. "Pillow fights and manicures. What the fuck happened to you, Piper?"

"You're such a dick."

She was glaring out the window when they pulled into the parking lot. He spotted Sophia right away, leaning against the wall with another girl. He didn't pay much attention to them, though. His eyes scanned the parking lot for Carol but she wasn't there.

"Dude..." Piper muttered, nodding to the girls leaning against the wall.

"Where the hell is her mo-" His voice cut off once he realized that the other girl wasn't a girl at all but Carol standing with Sophia.

"Sophia's mom went total milf on you, dude. Dad was right. You ain't coming home tonight. If you're a leg man then there's you an all you can eat buffet. You think she's faking car trouble just so you'd have to come down here and take a look under her hood again? I can't think of another reason for her to be showing off her goods like that."

"Goddamn it, Piper. Shut up!"

They got out and Sophia and Carol both walked towards them. Piper was right. He was kind of a leg man and there was a decent amount of leg put on display. "I'm so sorry about this. Really, if we were closer to home we would have just walked," Carol said, wringing her hands.

He shook his head, trying to keep his eyes on hers so he wouldn't openly check her out. "No big deal. I got a battery at the garage you can have. Piper's gonna drive Sophia back to my place and you can go with me in your car." From the corner of his eye he could see Piper studying him with a grin.

"You don't have to do that!" Carol said quickly, her eyes large and apologetic.

"Well, we could just take you home but you'll have to figure out how to get this taken care of tomorrow. Then you'll probably just call me then anyway cause you don't know anybody else. Might as well get it nipped in the bud now, right?" Was he fucking rambling?

She sighed and then glanced towards her daughter with a scowl.

"What?" Sophia asked innocently.

"You are never picking out my clothes again. Ever," Carol muttered as she breezed by the two girls.

He hung back on purpose watching the sway of her hips as she stormed off towards her car. This was Piper's friend's mom and he needed to stop thinking with his dick. And he was obviously thinking with his dick because he couldn't stop thinking about those legs wrapped around him. He had to shut off the thought because not only was she the mother of Piper's friend, but she was also married and as a rule, he didn't fuck married women. He didn't need the headache.

He made quick work of jumping the car and then he tossed Piper the keys. "You care if Sophia just hangs around at our place till we're done?" He asked, not looking at Carol.

Carol and Sophia shared a look and he could see the hope in the girl's eyes. "It's okay with me. I'll call you when I can pick you up," she said.

Sophia nodded and her and Piper hurried to the truck.

"Piper," he called before she could climb in. "I'm callin' Merle in ten minutes. If you ain't home he's gonna hunt your ass down."

She made a face but refrained from flipping him off or cussing him out, probably for Carol's benefit.

"Really, Daryl, I can't thank you enough for this. We don't know anyone else around here and I really wouldn't have minded walking if I hadn't let my over eager daughter play dress up with me. It's embarrassing. Do you have a wife?"

He raised up so quickly that he slammed his head on the cars hood, cursing loudly.

"Oh! Crap! I'm so sorry, here," she was pulling his hand away from the spot before he knew what was going on. She pulled his head towards her, running her fingers through his hair and then pulling her hand back to check for blood. "I don't think it's bleeding or anything but-" She looked so panicked that he found himself grabbing her wrist and stepping away from her a little. She was crowding him and it was fucking with his thought process.

"I'll live. No sense it getting-" He cut off the sentence. He was about to tell her not to get her panties in a bunch but that wasn't doing a damn thing to help him keep himself in check. "Gettin' all bent out of shape. And no, I ain't married so there ain't no woman pacin' in front of a window somewhere waitin' on me."

She smiled slightly. "Right. Okay. Well, let's get this over with so you can get back home. I know we pretty much ruined your night."

He shook his head. "Not really." He watched as she got into the passenger seat. He remembered Sophia suggesting they call her father. "What about you? Why didn't you just call your husband?" Genuine curiosity had the question slipping from his lips before he even thought about it.

She shrugged. "He's been out of town for a week. He isn't due back until Monday so it's just me and Sophia for now. That and he wouldn't hesitate to leave us stranded and make us walk home anyway. Of course, if he was home I would have been wearing sneakers instead of Sophia's boots and would have been fully equipped to walk home," she rambled on.

He stared at her for a moment before she looked over, her face flushing.

"I'm rambling on and on. I'm sure you just want to hurry up and get this over with," she said as she gestured for him to pull out.

Actually he had a strange feeling that tonight was going to get damn interesting.

 **I know that some of you are disappointed to see Ed in this but he gets what's coming to him. No worries there. =)**


	5. Chapter 5

**This Monday sucks! Just in case you guys are having a bad one too, here's an update =) Several of you have expressed a little love for Piper. It makes me laugh because Piper is a little like a 16 year old Haitus. So thanks for that. Hope you enjoy!**

 **Chapter Five**

Carol was a nervous wreck and it seemed like every single time she opened her mouth something embarrassing came out. She usually enjoyed company. She usually had a knack for putting people at ease. Not so much this person. This man had her acting like a complete idiot.

"So, is this where you work?" She asked, willing herself to calm down.

He pulled the car around to the back of what looked like a bike shop. Once they were through the gates, however, she was surprised to see quite a few people milling about outside. Her heart sank. The women were all dressed like they just came from working at a strip club, the men looked like they had just been released from prison.

"Yeah, somethin' like that," he muttered. "I didn't think it'd be this goddamn packed. Usually it's worse on Saturdays." He glanced over at her. "You could wait out here if you want. It's only gonna be worse in there."

She looked at the crowd of people that were staring at the car curiously. She shook her head. She didn't normally judge people like this but she would feel a lot safer if she just stuck with him. Not that she knew him at all but she at least knew he wasn't dangerous. These men looked dangerous. "I'd rather go with you."

He sighed and looked over, meeting her eyes. "You sure?"

She nodded.

"Just follow my lead then. You're like a lamb walkin' right into the lions den."

"What does that mean?" She asked, a little breathless as her heart sped up.

The corner of his mouth pulled up slightly. "Nothin'. Come on."

She got out of the car just as he did but he didn't make a move towards the open back doors until she was next to him. There was loud music and laughter pouring out into the parking lot and she flinched when she heard someone whistle and then call out behind them. The next thing she knew he was leading her through the doors and into even more chaos.

"Dixon! How bout we make a trade, you son of a bitch!"

Carol's head shot up, her eyes seeking out the louder voice that had called out. It was a man that looked to be around the same age as Daryl with his arm around a blonde woman who looked to be around Carol's age. She was obviously drunk or on something else because the man was pretty much holding her upright.

"Not a chance, Dave. You can keep yours. I ain't gotta dope mine up first."

Carol realized then that the man had been talking about her. She stepped further into Daryl's space. "Is he talking about me?" She asked, unable to keep the panic from her voice.

"I told you," he muttered, leaning closer so she could hear him over the music.

"Come on Dixon! You can share. Introduce me to this lady here!"

Carol looked up and the man, Dave, was standing in front of them, grinning down at her. She was surprised when she felt Daryl's hand grip hers. When she looked at him his face was hard.

"Back the fuck up, asshole."

The guy put his hands up and backed away. "Right on, Dixon. Just not used to you bringing your own piece with you. It's cool."

Daryl pulled her through the throngs of people. Now that he had a hold of her hand there was no more cat calling and no more advances. She was surprised to see most of the men make a clear path for them as they headed towards the back. He led her through a door that was down a narrow hallway and then they were finally in an empty room where silence prevailed. He dropped her hand as soon as the door was closed behind them. There were car and bike parts everywhere and it smelled heavily of oil and gasoline, sweat and saw dust. The smell had her head spinning. This room was all man.

"You wishin' you woulda stayed in the car now? They can get pretty rowdy around here. That Dave is a pain in the ass. I don't even know why the hell he hangs around."

"What is this place?" Carol asked as he walked up to a work bench and grabbed something.

"This is a party. Invitation only kinda get together. Not somethin' you want anything to do with. I got it," he held up the battery.

She narrowed her eyes at him and glanced back towards the door they had just came through. "Why wouldn't I want anything to do with it?"

He studied her curiously. "You tellin' me you like havin' men lookin' at you like that? Just a piece of meat. A conquest? Come on. Can't say that I know you, but I know enough to know that this ain't your scene, lady."

She thought about it for a second. Did she like having men look at her like that? She certainly wasn't used to it and she knew for a fact that she would never take them up on any of their offers but in truth, she did enjoy it in a strange way. To feel like she was someone that could be lusted after, even if it was just a bunch of drunken bikers. She used to feel attractive, back when she had first gotten married. She hadn't felt that way in a long time though. And soon, Ed would be back and her life would go back to the way it had been for nearly half her life. She wouldn't be anyone special. She'd just be Ed's house keeper and cook. Right now, in this place, she could be anyone she wanted to be. She didn't have to be anything at all. "Can we stay for just a little while?"

His eyebrows shot up and he sat the battery back down. "Why?"

She shrugged. "Because I have the option of staying if I want. I never have that option. I'm bored and if you wouldn't mind staying for while then I would like to stay." He didn't answer right away and she suddenly felt like an idiot. "I'm sorry. Of course you don't want to stay here with me. It was stupid to ask." She laughed nervously. "Let's go ahead and go. I don't have any business in this place."

He tilted his head, not saying a word but watching her closely. Finally he reached into the inside pocket of the leather vest and pulled out a phone. He kept his eyes on hers as he put the phone to his ear. "You home?" He asked by way of greeting. He rolled his eyes as the person on the other end said something. "Well, Sophia can stay if she wants. Tell her that her mom's on her way home. I'm stayin' here at the shop."

Carol bit her lip and waited for him to hang up.

When he did finally pocket the phone he put his hands on his hips. "You sure bout this?"

She nodded and was surprised when he took her hand again. He led her back down the hall and through the crowd to a bar that ran the length of one wall. He held up two fingers and suddenly there were two shot glasses placed in front of him. He slid one over to her. She stared at it. How long had it been since she had drank anything other than the occasional glass of wine? "If I have to drive home maybe I shouldn't drink," she said, her heart beating hard in her chest.

He laughed at that, his stoic face transforming before her eyes, causing her breath to hitch. "You ain't goin' home."

She swallowed. "What?"

He pointed to the ceiling. "You wanna experience the real deal then that's what I'm gonna give you. You wanna stay then you're gonna stay. You ain't goin' home. You sure you wanna stay now?" There was a challenge in his voice. She realized then that he didn't truly believe that she would.

She wasn't exactly sure what staying meant. Did he mean that if she wanted to stay that she would have to sleep with him? Surely that wasn't what he meant. She didn't even know him! She was married. Her marriage had never been a great one but she had never considered cheating on Ed. "Do I have to have sex with you if we stay?" She asked, deciding that she could be just as bold as he was, even though her face was on fire.

His eyes widened and some of that bravado faded. "What? No! That ain't what I meant. I'm just sayin', if I get drunk I ain't leavin'. I gotta room upstairs. Jesus, lady!"

"Well then, let's do this," she said quickly, grabbing up the shot and downing it. He followed suit, suddenly looking like he needed the shot just as badly as she did.

~H~

"You wanna beer?" Piper asked.

Sophia glanced at her, her eyes wide. "What?"

"Beer. Do you want a beer? The guys will be here in an hour, figured you'd wanna loosen up a bit."

"I've never drank beer," Sophia said, raising from the couch and following Piper to the kitchen. The house was nothing like she had expected. It was large and sprawling with big open rooms, much nicer than the house her parents had just bought. "And won't your dad get mad if you have boys come over?"

Piper shrugged. "Beer ain't so bad. Taste like piss but it's better than nothing. And no. You just gotta know my dad. He's in bed anyway and he's probably stoned so he isn't gonna wake up no matter what we do."

"Your dad is on drugs?"

Piper shook her head. "Not anything hard since I was born. He just smokes weed."

"What guys are we talking about? The guys you hang out with at school?" Sophia was getting more and more nervous. Maybe she shouldn't have been so eager to stay here.

"Yeah. Soon as I told Damon you'd be here he was ready to come over right away. He likes you."

Sophia felt her eyes bug out. "Likes me?"

"Yeah," Piper grinned. "As in, he wants to shove his tongue in your mouth and possibly cop a feel while he's at it kind of like."

"Oh God," Sophia groaned. This was horrible. Not that she didn't think Damon was cute. He was great. He was nice and he was good looking and he was tall and he was...

"Oh man. You've never even kissed a dude, have you?" Piper asked, cracking open a beer and taking a huge drink.

Sophia didn't want to look stupid in front of the only person that had been nice to her since moving, but she couldn't act like she was something that she wasn't. She shook her head.

"My God, where did you live before you moved here?" Piper asked. She looked more curious than anything. She wasn't openly making fun of her though. She simply looked like she wanted to know more about her.

"Atlanta. I didn't really get out much though. My dad's kind of strict."

"He must not be too strict. Daryl is full of shit. In about an hour he's gonna have your mom up in that room of his. She ain't home. She's with him."

Sophia gaped at her. "You have no idea. My mom would never do anything like. And besides, my dad's out of town so if she did stay out all night, which she wouldn't, he wouldn't ever know about it."

"Do you have a home phone?" Piper asked.

Sophia nodded.

"Call it. I bet she's not there. I'm not trying to be the bearer of bad news or anything but I'm telling you, she's not home. And this is big cause Daryl don't take chicks to his room up there. He usually bangs them in the parking lot."

Sophia let that information sink in for a moment. She thought about all the times she heard Ed put her mother down. She thought about all the times that he put his hands on her. She thought about how sad her mom looked when she thought no one was looking. She felt a slow smile creep over her face as she met Piper's eyes. "Good."

Piper quirked a brow. "Good that my uncle is probably gonna be banging your mom tonight?" She offered Sophia the other beer.

Sophia took it, making a face at Piper's choice of words. "Not exactly, but it'll be good for her to have some fun. She never does. My dad treats her like crap. As long as your uncle doesn't try to hurt her..."

Piper chuckled. "No chance of that. She might not be able to walk right tomorrow, but not because he hurt her."

Sophia grimaced and took a drink of the beer. "That's disgusting."

Piper grinned. "What? The beer or your mom not walking right after Daryl is finished with her."

"Both."


	6. Chapter 6

**We are finally getting somewhere! Hope you all are having a great day =) Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Six**

Daryl knew he shouldn't be sitting there drinking with her. They had moved on from shots to beers and he could tell she was just a few of those away from falling on her face. His alcohol tolerance was a lot higher than hers so he wasn't feeling it as much. He stayed alert, watching the other men that were watching the two of them.

"Is it hot in here to you? It's hot in here to me," she said, fanning her face.

He tugged on the hem of her jacket. "Might be cause of that," he muttered.

She looked down and then grinned. "I bet you're right." She pulled it off and he did a double take. The shirt was clinging to every dip and curve she had and he could easily make out a black bra under the thin material.

Like it wasn't bad enough that he didn't seem to be in complete control of eyeballs tonight, he didn't need to see anymore of her to distract him further. It was funny since most of the women he was around showed off a lot more skin than this. Compared to any other female here she was dressed pretty modest. And then he realized that was the problem. He was so used to women being easy pickings that he barely even noticed them anymore. He wasn't used to a woman like her and that was the appeal.

"How long have you lived here?" She asked, taking a sip of the beer. She was smart, taking it easier on the alcohol than she had been earlier.

He shrugged. "I've never not lived here."

She smiled. "Small town boy, huh?"

He snorted and chugged half his beer in just a few gulps. "Yeah. Somethin' like that."

"And you work on motorcycles here?"

He nodded. "My dad's shop. My dads club. You'll hear about it eventually, I'm sure. We work on cars too. Classics mostly."

Her eyes widened and she searched his face, leaning closer on her stool. "So, this place, this is a real motorcycle club? You guys deal in illegal gun trades and you off people that mess with you? And you're the son of the president of the whole operation. You're like..."

He tried to hold it in but he couldn't help it. He laughed. "You watch too much T.V., woman. That ain't how it is in every club. Mostly, we do this. Well, they do this. I stay my ass at home for the most part. Livin' fast gets old after a while."

"You're important around here. I can see that," she said, her eyes wide as she glanced around the crowded space. "This is incredible."

"What about you? You just some suburban soccer mom out lookin' for a thrill cause her husband is gone?"

Her smile dimmed and she nodded, meeting his eyes. "Something like that I guess."

He killed his beer and motioned for another round. "And what happens when he comes back?"

She shrugged. "Life happens when he comes back. Things go back to normal. Sophia will shut down, I'll join her. Ed will rule his roost like he always has."

The sadness in her voice had anger spiking, mixing dangerously with the alcohol already pumping through his veins, and he didn't even understand why. He didn't know her. She wasn't his friend. So why did he care if her life sucked and her husband was obviously a piece of shit that didn't treat her right? "I'll be right back," he said, slipping off the bar stood.

She grabbed his hand quickly. "Where are you going?" Her eyes were wide.

"To take a piss," he said, raising an eyebrow at her. She may have been a little on the tipsy side but she was still not drunk enough to be okay with him leaving her alone.

She dropped his hand and nodded, glancing around nervously. "I don't know why I'm so nervous. I-"

"They think you're mine. Nobody is gonna fuck with you," he assured her.

She blinked and then snorted. "Like, your girlfriend?"

He shrugged. "Just mine. And what belongs to a Dixon ain't to be fucked with." He usually didn't use his father's position to benefit himself around here but he was glad for it right now. If nothing else, the other men would leave her alone. They would if they were smart anyway.

Her eyes widened even more and her lips parted slightly. "Oh."

"I'll be right back."

She nodded and he could feel her eyes on him as he walked towards the back. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and shook his head. "You need to reign it in. If you don't then you're gonna find yourself tangled up in some shit you won't know what to do with. She ain't somebody you can just screw and you know it." His reflection stared back at him, looking smug.

A few minutes later as he made his way back to her he realized that not everyone had taken his claim very seriously. There was Dave, sitting on the stool Daryl had vacated, sitting much closer to her than Daryl had been. She didn't seem too upset by the other man's proximity but it was now simply a matter of principal. He had told the man earlier and now the guy was blatantly over stepping bounds. Considering the asshole was just a wannabe, and not even a member of the club at all, only made it more offensive.

Carol smiled at the man but it looked strained. Dave leaned a little closer but Carol shook her head and leaned away from him. When Dave placed his hand on her thigh that was when Daryl really got pissed. She looked up just as he made it to them. When she met his eyes he saw the relief in hers. She didn't want the other man that close.

"In about three seconds you're gonna lose that fuckin' hand, Dave," Daryl said in a low voice.

Dave dropped his hand and stood up quickly. "Oh, I was just keepin' your girl here company, Dixon. No harm, no fowl. You need to keep a closer eye on her though cause I'm not the only one sniffin' around."

Daryl nodded and sat down. "Leave."

Dave blinked. "What? Come on Dixon. I didn't mean shit by it."

Daryl held his gaze and the man cursed under his breath. This wasn't usually Daryl's role here. This was Merle's. But someone had to show the assholes that their bullshit wouldn't be tolerated. There was a strict code among the people here and Dave crossed a line. As Daryl glanced around he met a few sets of eyes. He shook his head and grabbed the stool Carol was perched on, pulling her closer. He was starting to wonder if she was more trouble than she was worth. He decided that she wasn't when he glanced at her and she was staring at him like some star struck woman staring at the hero at the end of the movie. He laughed, shaking his head. "What?"

"You just said leave and that guy just walked right out the door," she said, sounding awed.

He nodded. "Don't be too impressed, woman. It has less to do with me than it does my old man."

She followed his gaze. "Why do I feel like people are watching us?"

"Because people are watchin' us," he said as he killed another beer. He was starting to feel the alcohol now, more than he had in a long time.

"But why?" She asked, turning her own beer up, still watching the people around them.

"Because I don't make it a habit of showin' up here. And I sure as hell don't make it a habit of bringin' women here. Especially a woman like you."

Her eyes met his and narrowed. "What do you mean, a woman like me?"

He shrugged and motioned towards the room. "Look at them. You ain't nothin' like them."

She made a face and then turned to the old man behind the bar. "Two shots," she said in a loud voice. The man nodded and sat them down in front of her. She met his eyes again and when he decided to play along and grab one of the shots she shoved his hand away and killed them both.

He gaped at her. "Oh man, this ain't gonna end well at all," he laughed and then nodded to the man when he was presented with two shots of his own. He downed them just as quickly as she had. "You know, getting wasted ain't gonna make you more like the women here. You couldn't be like them if you tried."

She glared at him and he realized that she was actually offended by his words, even though he hadn't meant it in a bad way. "Because they're more exciting than me?"

He shook his head. "No, it's because you got a few things they ain't got. Probably never had. You don't look good cause you spend hours in front of a mirror and dress like a whore. You look good cause that's just how you look. You carry yourself like a woman that ain't for sale. These women ain't got a damn thing on you, lady." He was depending on liquid courage and it was going pretty well. He would never be telling her this shit otherwise. He wouldn't have cared enough.

She searched his eyes and he saw, from the corner of his own, that they were indeed being watched by several of the guys there. They knew what he knew. She was out of their league. To herself she was just some lowly housewife. To them, she was unattainable. Someone that didn't just give it away. "You expect me to fall for that?" She finally asked, leaning her elbow on the bar and looking up at him expectantly.

He shook his head. "Don't matter to me what you fall for. I'm just telling you the truth. You wanna shoot some pool?"

She blinked and then pulled back, just realizing how far she was leaning towards him. "I don't know how."

"You ain't never shot pool before?" He chuckled and stood up.

"No," she muttered as she slid off the seat. She was a little unsteady but he caught her quickly, pulling her closer than he really needed to.

"You really shouldn't have had those last two shots," he said, leaning down so he could speak right into her ear. His hand was on her waist and he was surprise to feel her shiver under his touch. With a toxic mix of adrenalin and alcohol he slid his hand lower over the swell of her hip. "Cause you just might end up doin' somethin' stupid that you'll regret in the mornin'." His lips were right next to her ear and for no reason other than he was drunk and she was possibly willing, he caught her earlobe right between his teeth, tugging lightly before letting it go.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello again! A few of you wanted me to hurry up and post the next chapter so I thought I should. Thanks for the really sweet messages. Quite a few of you seriously made my day! Hope you like this one =) Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Seven**

She didn't know if it was the alcohol or the loud music or the fact that he was pretty much the sexiest man she had ever laid eyes on, but something in her seemed to snap at that moment when his hand pressed against her waist. Her whole body seemed to tremble. Then he was moving his hand, his lips almost brushing her as he spoke about doing stupid things that she could regret.

And then the delicate sting of his teeth sinking into her earlobe set her blood ablaze. A dark thrill sent a jolt up her spine, white hot and dangerous. She didn't know why he did it. She didn't know this man. If anything she should have slapped his face and demanded he get away from her. Instead, she let him back her into the bar, his leg working it's way between her thighs, pressing hard against the ache between them. She fisted his shirt in her hands and tilted her head, giving him better access to her neck. He took advantage of it, his lips leaving a hot trail over her throat, his tongue caressing her pulse point. She made a desperate sound and he pulled his head back, breathing heavily.

"Son of a bitch," he muttered and then his mouth came down on hers, hot and greedy. Her lips parted, allowing him to take what he wanted and as his tongue slid against hers she melted against him. She forgot all about the crowd around them and she forgot all about the fact that she didn't know him. All she knew in that moment was that she needed him. All of him. And from the feel of the sizable erection pressing against her, he needed the same thing. She boldly ran her hand over the front of his jeans, humming her approval in the back of her throat. He was right. She really shouldn't have had those last two shots. Who the hell was she right now?

A growl rumbled through him and she could feel it vibrating her chest, spurring her on. He pulled away, his pupils blown wide as he heaved out a breath. He backed away from her and then grabbed her hand, pulling her along behind him.

"Where are we going?" She asked breathlessly.

He glanced over his shoulder right before they made it to the hallway leading to the garage. "Somewhere to do somethin' real fuckin' stupid so you'll have somethin' to regret in the morning."

To her surprise he stopped right before they made it to the door. The hallway was bathed in shadow, the party raging on just feet away but just out of sight. She was about to ask him where exactly they were going to go do something stupid but suddenly one of his hands was running up her inner thigh and he was backing her against the wall. His lips found hers as the heel of his hand pressed against the heat between her legs, causing her to moan into his mouth.

"You're fuckin' soaked already," he growled against her lips. "Kinda makes me think that husband of yours ain't doin' his job."

Her body was too far gone to even be affected by the mention of her husband. His hand was moving against her and she was forced to grip his shoulders just to stay upright. Her legs were shaking as his hand moved over her but then, right when she was about to fall completely over and give herself up to the sensations he was evoking in her, he stopped.

"Not yet," he whispered in her ear and then started working her underwear down her legs. She didn't object. She didn't say anything at all, actually. What she did do was work as fast as she could to shove his shirt over his head. It fell to the floor and then she was working his pants open. Through the haze in her head she heard a familiar song start blaring in the next room. I'm on fire, a song about a woman cheating on her husband. One of her favorites by Bruce Springsteen, and very fitting. Daryl chuckled in her ear as he lifted her easily. She wound her legs around his waist and he didn't waste any time adjusting himself when her back hit the wall.

She ran her hands over his chest and then she clung to his shoulders as he moved. She whimpered pitifully as he filled her and a low groan escaped him. Her nails bit into his shoulders once he got his bearings and started moving. And Jesus Christ could this man move. He rolled his hips into her in a skillful motion that seemed to get him to all the right spots all at once. His grip on her hips was almost painful but it was a good kind of hurt. An ache to match the ache inside of her as her body raced once again towards release. Release that Ed could never provide, which was the reason for the vibrator hidden in her mattress. But that was irrelevant now. Daryl, though nearly a complete stranger, was far from a selfish lover. As he moved his head and met her eyes she saw it. A single minded ferocity that had her gasping because in that look she could tell that his goal was to make her feel something she wouldn't soon forget.

Her muscles started tensing almost to the point of pain and her legs tightened around him. The first wave that hit her stunned her to the point of silence. She couldn't even breath as her nails nearly tore into his flesh, the second had her crying out and she was thankful for the music because anyone would have heard her if it wasn't playing so loud.

"There you go," he crooned into her ear while her entire universe turned upside down. She clung to him and he he moved even deeper, driving her orgasm to even greater heights. "Fuckin' hell," he growled, gripping her hips harder right before she felt him pulsing deep inside of her, the heat of his release bringing her a whole new brand of pleasure.

When he finally stilled she let her head fall back against the wall, not even feeling it. He backed away, holding her up until her feet were on the floor before he let go long enough to fix his pants. For a few seconds she was terrified that he would walk away and leave her standing there, feeling used. That worry didn't last long though because he pulled her face towards his and kissed her just as passionately as he had before this had happened. She kissed him back, relieved he hadn't just walked away. She was still drunk enough that she barely noticed when someone walked past them. At least now they were only kissing. The guy could have walked by a few minutes ago. Hell, someone could have and she never would have known it.

He grabbed her hand and started leading her through the door to the garage before she could even say anything.

"Where are we going now?" She asked.

He led her to another door that opened up to a set of dark stairs. "Up there. If you're gonna regret it in the morning then might as well make it worth your time tonight."

She glanced back over her shoulder. "I didn't get my underwear!"

He laughed as he pulled her along. "You won't be needin' them."

~H~

Daryl wasn't sure what time it was or how long they had been locked up in the room. All he knew was that he was completely fucking lost in this woman and the fact that he barely knew her didn't really penetrate his mind. A quick fuck in the hall was pretty damn great but he could do that any time. He never brought women up here. This was his one getaway. But she wasn't just anyone. He didn't have a clue what that meant, he just knew it as truth. Maybe it was because he was pretty drunk. He didn't want to over think it though. That would probably just freak him out.

She was sprawled out on top of him, working on catching her breath. He was finally spent but he still couldn't keep his hands off her. Maybe somebody slipped him a low dose of X down there. That would explain why, even though the sex was pretty much over, he couldn't stop touching her. Right now his hands were on her hips. He thought maybe he had bruised her earlier but she hadn't protested. She made a move like she might roll away but he locked an arm around her back, keeping her locked in place.

Her quiet laughter caused him to grin like a drunken idiot, her breath cooling the sweat that coated them both. "I feel like I don't have a bone left in my body," she muttered, her voice rough.

He traced the line of her spine lightly, eliciting a contented sigh from her. His phone going off on the nightstand next to the bed had him finally letting go of her. He looked at the name and sighed. "I gotta get this." God only knew what the hell Piper was up too. It was late and just in case she had gotten into any trouble, he wouldn't ignore the call. He was lucky she hadn't called five minutes ago. He answered with a breathless hello. He was still in the process of getting his breathing under control. He knew he would catch hell for this.

"Hello, is this Daryl?"

He sat up, causing Carol to do a little wiggling to readjust herself. He had been expecting Piper but the voice on the other end belonged to Sophia. "Yeah, this is him."

"Who is it?" Carol asked, a frown forming between her brows as she took in his worried expression.

"Umm, I was calling to ask about my mom. I've called her cell and the home phone and she hasn't answered either."

"I, er... I ain't seen her since I dropped her off."

There was a silence on the other end that had him scowling. "Mr. Dixon, I kind of just heard her ask who was on the phone. Do you care of I talk to her for a minute?"

He groaned and then took the phone from his ear. Meeting Carol's eye before handing it to her.

She put the phone up to her ear, her expression confused... and then shocked. She hurried off of him, nearly falling off the bed. He found this a little funny since it wasn't like the girl was going to see them together. "Hi honey!" she said in a voice that was a few octaves too high. She looked up sharply. "No, he only lied because he didn't want you to think anything bad. We've just been talking. He gave me a battery for the car and now we're just at the garage."

He raised an eyebrow at her and then trailed his fingertips up her inner thigh.

She pushed his hand away quickly, causing him to chuckle. "Okay, well, you have fun and I'll see you tomorrow afternoon. I love you too." She snapped his phone shut and stared at it for a few long moments. "Oh my God. My sixteen year old daughter just caught me in bed with you."

He shook his head, trying not to laugh at her. "No she didn't. She caught me in a lie. She don't know you're sitting in a room above the garage naked as the day you were born after havin' a lot of sex with a guy you don't even know." He managed a straight face until she looked down in horror. It wasn't like the light coming in from the street lamp was enough to see very well by anyway. And after everything they had done he had just about had her body mapped out.

"You're right," she said after a few seconds. He was surprised when she crawled under the sheet and stretched out next to him. He had expected her to freak out. "We should sleep off all this alcohol. Tomorrow it's back to the real world."

He realized something just then. He had never slept with a woman before. Ever. Not in all his life. He laughed.

"What's so funny?" She asked, raising up on her elbow.

"I ain't never slept with a woman before," he slurred, mostly because he was exhausted. He had burned off most of his buzz.

She shoved him. "You can't do all of that and then try to tell me you've never done all of that before."

"I'm talkin' in a bed. Any bed."

"Really?" She sounded more surprised than he thought she should be.

"Yep."

"But I'm aloud to sleep with you?" She asked.

He nodded and hummed in the back of his throat as sleep started to pull him under.


	8. Chapter 8

**Some of you were dreading this chapter but I hope this eases some of your concerns =) Thanks so much for reading! You guys are awesome!**

 **Chapter Eight**

Sophia handed the phone back to Piper, still shocked but not entirely in a bad way.

"She's with him, isn't she?" Piper asked.

Sophia glanced up at her and nodded. "She is. And he tried to lie and say he hadn't seen her. I actually heard her ask who was on the phone though. And I swear she's drunk!"

Piper sighed. "Are you scarred for life? Please tell me you don't want to talk about your feelings? I'm not good with shit like that." She made a face.

Sophia shook her head. It was just her and Piper now. The guys had stopped by but they hadn't stayed long. Piper's dad had woken up and threatened to string them up by their privates. She smiled slightly and shook her head. "No. I mean, I don't want to know details or anything. I'm strangely happy for her."

Piper nodded. "You're a good kid, Sophia. I have no idea what I see in you."

Sophia laughed and settled down on the couch which was her bed for the night. She had to sleep in her clothes since she hadn't been prepared at all for any kind of sleepover. "What did you see in me? I mean, it sounds like a stupid question but I can't help but wonder. You didn't have to step in when I was having a hard time at school today and Damon didn't either." She raised up and eyed her.

Piper, who was now sitting upside down in the overstuffed chair with her head hanging off the seat just grinned. "Cause it ain't their job to judge other people and act like dicks. That's my job."

Sophia shook her head and laid back down. "Why is that? Why is it that you and the guys kind of run the school? That's usually not how it is."

"You gotta learn how to be... assertive. People are gonna treat you however you let them. If they know you're just gonna sit around and take shit then shit is what they're gonna give you. You think it's always been like this? Come on, I'm borderline midget over here. I got sick of getting shit all the time. I wasn't raised that way. We don't let nobody push us around because we're Dixons and Dixons are tough. So I got tough. I fought back. Now nobody gives me any shit. Problem solved."

"It isn't that easy for me. You have a different kind of dad than I do. If I start getting in trouble then my mom will be the one that has to pay for it." There was a long pause and then she heard Piper sitting up.

"Does he hit her? Or you?"

Sophia sat up again and leaned her back against the arm of the couch, picking at the faded blanket that Piper had given her. "He doesn't hit her anymore. I don't think he does. He used to and then we left. We stayed at this shelter for a little while and then he quit drinking and talked her into coming back. That was a few years ago."

"Dude, if he ever touches her again you call me or force her to call Daryl. Does he hit you?" Piper looked outraged.

Sophia shook her head but she felt a little sick to her stomach. "My mom wouldn't let that happen but..."

"But what?" Piper asked, her voice taking on an edge.

She shook her head. "It's nothing, really. He's never touched me."

Piper narrowed her eyes. "Look, I know I'm not much but I'm all you got as far as friends go. Tell me what you were about to say."

"It's the way he looks at me. It's... weird. It gives me the creeps but I think it's just because I'm waiting for him to start in on me like he does my mom."

Piper settled back down in her chair, pulling her knees up. She didn't say anything else for a while and when she did speak Sophia was glad that she was changing the subject. "Maybe tomorrow my dad will actually let me out of the damn house and I can show you around. This place is small but there's a lot of cool shit to get into if you know where to look."

Sophia nodded, smiling slightly even though the mood had turned a little dark the prospect of just hanging out with a friend sounded more exciting than it should have.

~H~

Carol was pretty sure she was having an aneurism. There was a painful throbbing in her head and when she rolled over she realized that all of her muscles seemed to be aching at once. She opened her eyes and then sat up when she found herself looking up at an unfamiliar ceiling. The movement had her wincing and she rubbed her temples to try to sooth the ache.

It was then that she started to remember the night before. She looked down and gasped when she realized she was completely naked and a quick scan of the floor proved that her clothes were nowhere in site. Daryl wasn't there either. He had just left her alone and naked in a strange room! And she didn't have anything to wear!

What the _hell_ had she been thinking? Why had she drank so much? Why had she been so eager to sleep with him when she barely knew him? And why was she surprised that he was gone? She was lucky he had even let her stay here at all. Flashes of the night before pummeled her memory and after securing the sheet around her she sat down heavily on the edge of the bed. Downstairs. It had started downstairs.

"Oh my God," she muttered. Had anyone seen them? She had had sex with a man right against the wall in a hallway! Anyone could have walked by and seen them! She ignored her traitorous body. Just remembering the things he had done to her had heat pooling low. He had her clothes off before they had even made it up to the room... and then once he got her in there...

The sound of the door opening had her looking up sharply. Daryl walked in, stopping when he saw the look on her face. He had a bottle of water in one hand. "Figured you'd still be asleep," he said as he kicked the door shut and crossed the room. He handed her the bottle and then held out his palm where two pills sat. "For your head."

"Thank you. I don't suppose you've seen my clothes?" She swallowed down her humiliation as much as she could. At least he hadn't just left her there.

He shook his head. "Pretty sure they were on the stairs but they were gone this mornin'. Ain't nobody here to ask."

"What am I going to do? I can't go home wearing your bed sheet," she groaned.

She looked up when she heard him laugh softly.

"Daryl this isn't funny," she scowled and then finished off the water.

"It's kinda funny."

She eyed him. "Well, you probably make a habit of sleeping with strangers and then losing your clothes. I don't. I've spent the last sixteen years with the same man. And the one time I have a weak moment and do something insane, I lose my clothes. My clothes! And my phone! Oh my God."

He narrowed his eyes. "I don't make a habit of sleepin' with strangers. And I ain't ever lost my damn clothes either." He sounded genuinely offended and she instantly felt bad for saying it.

"Well, if I knew you then I'd know that but I don't. I don't even know how old you are. How old are you?" He was younger than her, she could tell.

"Twenty seven."

"Oh my God," she muttered, shaking her head.

He snorted. "It ain't like I'm twelve. Look, I can take your car to your house and get you some clothes. You can just... be naked and hang out here."

She looked up. "You'd do that?"

He shrugged. "Yeah. Unless you just wanna stay naked all day. I won't complain. Fuck, I'll lose mine too, then it won't be so awkward."

As embarrassed as she was about everything that had happened she couldn't help but smile at that. She hadn't been sure what to expect from him this morning but it certainly wasn't this. She expected him to be cold and standoffish. Or just leave and not come back. She was starting to feel at least a little bit better. Even if the situation was one she never had expected to find herself in.

She stood up, keeping the sheet wrapped around her securely. "Are you sure you don't mind going to my house?"

He shook his head so she gave him directions. The water and the pills had helped her headache but she felt... dirty. Not for having sex with him but because the room had been hot and she felt like she was covered in old sweat. "While you do that I'll take a shower. I feel disgusting."

"Ouch," he scowled.

She realized how that must have sounded. "Not because of that!"

He rolled his eyes. "I'll be back."

She offered him a weak smile and then headed for the bathroom. It was small but it would work. She found some mouthwash on the sink and was at least able to rinse her mouth out. She glanced up at her reflection in the mirror. She looked like she did any other morning other than the fact that her cheeks were pink and her eyes seemed brighter despite the hangover that seemed to be fading quickly. She looked oddly... content.

The thing that bothered her the most, out of this whole crazy situation, wasn't the fact that she had cheated on her husband. It was the fact that she may have been used as some sort of sex toy by some hot guy in his twenties. She laughed at her reflection because it was absolutely absurd. So what if all he had done was use her for sex? That was exactly what she had used him for. Not that the night started out that way but it happened. Would it have happened without the alcohol? Probably not. Would it ever happen again? She seriously doubted it. And that also bothered her. And it shouldn't have at all. It was a one night stand. Her very first and her very last one night stand. Sure, her marriage was bad. She couldn't stand her own husband, but she _was_ married.

She turned on the shower stepped in, shutting the frosted glass door. She let the warm water pour over her head, soothing the last of the headache away.

The sound of the bathroom door opening startled her enough to almost cause her to slip. She cracked the shower door open and looked out. Daryl was there, keys in his hand.

"I didn't know if you wanted me to pick you up something to..." His voice trailed away as his eyes met hers, his words dying on his lips and the thrill that shot through her was absolutely sinful.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

He didn't know what the hell was wrong with him. Not one clue. All he was certain of was that he was in some serious trouble. Probably more than he had ever been in before. All he had meant to do was ask her if she wanted him to pick up something to eat on his way back. That was innocent enough. Now he couldn't stop staring at her and his heart was beating too fucking hard in his chest and the only thing he wanted to do was strip his damn clothes off and get right in the shower with her.

And she wanted the same fucking thing. He could see it in the way her pale eyes grew dark as she regarded him. But they weren't drunk. This was morning and this was when they were both suppose to regret all the shit that had happened the night before. His mind was clear, however. Clear of alcohol anyway. He definitely wasn't thinking straight. Because if he was thinking straight his shirt would still be on.

He didn't remember even taking it off.

He saw her eyes widen and then take him in just as his hand went to his belt. He also hadn't realized that he had crossed the distance from the door to the shower. He hadn't taken his eyes off of hers the whole time. He tore the belt away and then her hand was on the back of his neck, pulling his face towards hers as he frantically worked on getting his pants undone. Her lips were demanding and once she was sure that he wasn't going to go anywhere she let go of his neck and slid her hands down to help him with the goddamn button that he couldn't seem to undo. She shoved at his jeans, trying to work them over his hips as he toed off his boots and clumsily kicked the pants away.

He crowded her into the corner of the stand up shower, his hands all over her as her arms wound around his neck. The way she was kissing him had his head spinning, her tongue hot and greedy as it danced with his own. He was panting like a fucking dog into her mouth and then her teeth sank into his lip, one long leg curling over his hip and he thought if he didn't get inside her just then he'd fucking die.

"Fuck," he groaned, pushing into her as deep as he could, that sweet familiar heat wrapping around him like wet velvet. He thought he would be a little desensitized by now but that wasn't the case. Somehow he was just as stunned by how goddamn good she felt as he had been the night before. And fuck him if he was going to be able to make this last once he was actually able to get his bearings. With the water beating down on him it was too damn slippery to actually get any kind of rhythm.

"Turn around," he growled into her ear.

She pulled back, eyes huge as she shook her head. "There's no way you're putting that thing there."

He braced himself with one hand on the wall as he barked out a laugh. "Goddamn it, I won't. Just turn around." He backed away from her enough for her to shoot him one last warning look and then she turned. As soon as she did he pulled her hips into him and he was inside of her again, the angle giving him a lot more leeway to actually move. He kicked her legs further apart with one foot and then his hand slid between her legs.

As soon as his fingers started working over her she cried out loudly and braced her hand against the wall. He slammed into her harder and every thrust had her body tensing more and more until he felt her clench around him. He shuddered against her just before he let go himself, letting her body drain him. When he was finally able to catch his breath he moved so she could turn around. He caged her in with his arms as she leaned her back against the wall. She was breathing heavily but she was smiling.

"You're one talented man, Daryl Dixon," she laughed but it turned into a low moan when his lips met hers again.

He pulled back, meeting her gaze and blinking water out of his eyes. "I better go get you some clothes. I'll leave my shirt so you ain't gotta walk around in a sheet."

She nodded, regarding him curiously.

"What?" He asked, taking advantage of the moment and running his tongue along the column of her throat.

"You're surprisingly sweet. It's just a little unexpected is all."

He grimaced against her wet skin. "I ain't sweet."

With a sigh she pushed him away. "I really need my clothes. And I believe you were going to ask me something before you started taking off yours." She raised one eyebrow at him.

"Right. You want me to get food on the way back?"

She grinned. "See. Sweet. And yes. Thank you. And coffee. A lot of coffee."

He snorted and kissed her again, lingering for another minute before slipping out of the shower and shoving his legs into his jeans without even drying off. He was doing an awful lot of kissing this morning. He grabbed her car keys, which he had thankfully stuck in his own pocket last night, and headed out the door. He had already replaced her battery so he didn't have to worry about that.

Strangely enough, the thing he was worried about was going into her house. It was stupid. He barely knew her but the thought of stepping foot into a house she was going to be sharing with her husband made him feel a little sick to his stomach. He didn't know why and he shrugged it off. Just like he thought, her house was in a nice neighborhood. There were people out doing yard work at the house next door and he wished he had thought to stop at his house and grab himself another shirt. He killed the engine and hopped out of the car, walking right up to the front door as her neighbors stared at him. Hopefully they wouldn't call the cops. That would be a bitch to explain away.

He unlocked the door and hurried inside, kicking it closed behind him. He found himself standing in a large living room. The stairs were to his right and she had told him that her room was the door on the left at the top of the stairs but he found himself heading in the other direction, heading towards a mantel that held an array of framed photos.

He ran his hand through his still damp hair and smiled to himself at a picture of Carol and Sophia at a park. There were others like that, just snapshots. The smile froze and then fell away when he spotted a family photo. It looked to be a few years old because Sophia was a lot different in this picture than the girl he had met. The smile on her face was obviously forced. His eyes moved up to Carol. She looked pretty much the same but not the same. There was a guarded look in her eyes that bothered him. She looked stiff, like she was bracing for something, even then. Like he'd knock the hell out of her for messing up. And then he took in the man next to her.

Daryl was used to men that were harsher than most. Hell, he was harsher than most when he needed to be. The men that he had been around all his life were hardened and sometimes cruel. They were men that would do a lot of ugly things if they had to do them. But this guy, he seemed harsh in a different way. His eyes were cold and calculating. His expression was almost predatory. He looked like the type of guy that was capable of ruling his home with an iron fist.

"I just got done fuckin' your wife, asshole," Daryl muttered as he put the photo back on the mantel and then rearranged them so the man's face was hidden behind a picture of a much younger Sophia opening presents and wearing one of those stupid pointy hats.

On his way to the stairs he walked past a large mirror, glanced at his reflection and then stopped, his eyes widening. He turned so he could get a better look at his back. "Mother fuck," he grumbled, frowning. There were angry red marks running from his spine to his sides all the way down. He remembered now. That had happened right after they had made it to the room. She must not have even seen them this morning or surely she would have had him put his damn shirt back on.

Muttering about out of control women he hurriedly grabbed her some clothes out of her closet. He grabbed jeans and a short sleeved shirt that buttoned up the front. There wasn't a whole lot to choose from and he didn't know what the hell to get for her anyway. At least this way she'd be covered.

He stopped by a fast food place and went through the drive through. He wasn't about to walk in without his shirt on, especially now. Once he made it back to the shop he pulled up right by the back door. He grabbed her clothes and tucked them under his arm and then balanced the take out bag and cup holder in one hand as he walked through the door.

He stopped in his tracks. Merle, Piper and Sophia all turned their heads in his direction.

"Where the hell is your shirt?" Merle asked, lifting a brow.

Daryl opened his mouth but no words came out at first. "I left it upstairs."

Piper barked out a laugh and then quickly covered her mouth with her hand when he glared at her.

Merle crossed his arms over his chest. "You didn't know I was comin' this early. Why do you got two cups of coffee?"

"I was thirsty," he said quickly. Why in the fuck were they here?

Piper turned her back to him but he could see her shoulders shaking with silent laughter. Sophia was staring at him with wide eyes, her face as red as his probably was.

Merle was still staring at him like he grew an extra head. "What'cha got there under your arm?"

Daryl glanced down and cursed under his breath. "What's with all the questions, Merle? Damn."

Merle shook his head. "You got some lady up there don't you? You actually had yourself a sleepover? Must have been one hell of a woman for you to let her stay."

"Oh my God," Sophia muttered.

"Merle, fuck off," he grumbled and was about to turn... but he couldn't. Because Carol tore his goddamn back up and they would see it. He shifted on his feet. "Why the hell are you starin' at me?"

Merle shrugged and grinned like the Cheshire cat. Piper finally turned around, swiping at the tears under her eyes. "Come on Sophia. We can wait outside."

Daryl gave her a nod and she winked. He remembered as soon as they stepped out the door that Carol's car was there now and it obviously hadn't been earlier. This was turning out to be a hell of a morning. He turned around quickly when Piper grabbed Sophia's hand and headed back inside. That left his back exposed to Merle and he heard his brother let out a low whistle.

"Good Lord it's been a while since I've had one that wild."

Piper threw her hands up. "Okay. This is ridiculous. Daryl, I love you but you're not helping me out here. Sophia, your mom spent last night here, probably having a lot of sex with Daryl. Sure, it's an awkward situation but watching Daryl try to hide it is fucking painful."

"Oh Holy fuck!" Merle laughed. "You didn't? You horny little son of a bitch! You nailed your neices friends married mom? You sick fuck. Even I wouldn't have done that."

"Oh God," Sophia muttered again and leaned against the wall.

Daryl glared at Piper.

"What the hell was I suppose to do? She calls your phone at two in the morning because she's worried about her mom and then she ends up talking to her mom on your phone. You're topless, driving her mom's car. You have her clothes under your arm cause you obviously can't remember where you stripped her, and I tried to help but I can't. So now I just helped everyone by laying it all out on the table."

"She has a point little brother. You did look pretty stupid tryin' to think up good lies on the fly. You ain't good at it."

Daryl had nothing left to say. Piper was right. He took a deep breath, gave Sophia an apologetic look and then turned around to head up the stairs.

"My God, you must have really given it to her goo-"

"Piper!" Daryl yelled, turning back around. Sophia was studying her shoes, Piper was staring at him wide eyed and Merle... Merle did what Merle did best. He was laughing his ass off.


	10. Chapter 10

**Dear God! I woke up with the worst headache ever! After copious amounts of coffee it's totally gone so I feel great and I'm all jacked up and thought, I'm gonna update. Somewhere out there is someone who would like to read the next chapter and since I'm having a good morning now, I feel the need to share. So, here you go. Thanks for reading and I hope you all have a kick ass day!**

 **Chapter Ten**

Carol was relieved to finally hear his heavy boots on the stairs. When he opened the door his face was flushed and he looked like he was ready to strangle someone.

"Are you okay?" She asked worriedly.

He shook his head and sat a bag and two cups on the counter before handing her a pair of jeans and a shirt. "Sophia is downstairs with my brother and Piper."

Carol gasped as she hurriedly put her jeans on. "Did she see you?"

"She knows everything."

"Oh my God!"

"Yeah, that's what she said."

"She knows I'm here? That I've been here with you all night?" Carol felt like she was about to hyperventilate.

He nodded. "They were here when I pulled up. She saw the car. She saw the clothes. She even saw what you did last night."

"What the hell do you mean she saw what I did last night?" He turned around and she gasped again, her hand going to her mouth. "She saw that?"

He nodded.

"And she knows I'm the one that did that! I don't even remember..." She paused and felt herself flush. She remembered now. "What am I suppose to say to her?"

He shrugged right before she turned her back to him and pulled his shirt off that she had been wearing.

"What kind of role model am I?" She fretted as she buttoned her shirt. She had forgotten to tell him to grab her any underwear but that was the least of her worries right now. "I cheated on her father and she knows. She saw evidence of it! I can't believe I let this happen!" When she turned around he was leaning against the counter, looking down into the dark liquid in the cup as he stirred it around.

"I kinda initiated it. No sense in blaming yourself," he said once he finally looked up.

"I'm the one that insisted on staying. You tried to talk me out of it. I got so caught up in just feeling free. It was stupid."

"Well, least you finally made it to the regretting it stage." He almost sounded... sad.

"Trust me, I regret her knowing what I did, not that I did it. That selfish son of a bitch has had this coming for a very long time. He's lucky I didn't do this years ago. Being with a real man was amazing..." She felt her face flush.

His eyebrows shot up at that.

"I need to get down there and get her home. We need to talk about this but damned if I have a clue what to say to her."

He nodded and then handed her the other cup. "You'll think of somethin'. She's seems like a good kid."

When she took the cup from him their fingers brushed and she felt a jolt. How could this man have such an impact on her? It didn't make any sense. When she met his eyes she could have sworn that he looked like he wasn't ready for her to go. "I'm gonna go ahead and go." Now it was her turn to feel sad. God, what was wrong with her?

He nodded. "Yeah. That's probably the smart thing to do."

She hesitated, glancing at the door before her eyes landed on him once more. "Do you think I'll see you again?"

The corner of his mouth turned up slightly, making him look impossibly young. "You wanna see me again?"

She bit her lip. "It would be incredibly stupid to see you again."

"Yeah. It would," he agreed.

She realized with a start that the thought of not seeing him again was a little painful. She knew what this had been but she couldn't shake the thought that he had been more attentive than Ed had ever been. Not just in bed either. Like offering to go get her clothes. Bringing her coffee. Looking at her like she was more than just some kind of inconvenience.

"You alright?" He asked after she didn't make a move to leave right away.

She nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"You know, if you ever need somethin'..."

She nodded. "Thanks. I guess I'll see you around, Daryl."

He reached for the shirt that she was still holding but he grabbed her hand instead, pulling her closer. She didn't fight it. She didn't want to fight it, even though she knew she should. He seemed to hesitate before he pulled her all the way to him and then his hand slipped from hers, gripping the shirt and pulling it out of her grasp. He was going to kiss her again and she knew it but he had stopped. As much as she wanted to kiss him again, she was glad he had put the breaks on. He was obviously the smarter of the two. "See ya around, Carol."

She turned away then and headed out the door, barefoot. She paused on the landing, looking down the stairwell for a few long moments before she turned back around. She walked right back into the room. He turned from the counter, giving her a questioning look.

She walked right up to him, grabbed the sides of his face and pulled him closer, not caring how stupid it was. His hands slid up the back of her shirt and he deepened the kiss when she tried to step away. She didn't fight it because she didn't want to. After a few heated minutes she finally, reluctantly pulled away. "Okay, I'm gonna go ahead and go now."

His eyes were dark as he nodded. "Yeah, that might be a good idea. I'd hate for you to lose your clothes again."

"Bye," she muttered and then he kissed her again, quicker this time.

"Bye," he grinned.

She steeled herself before she walked through the door that would lead her to the garage. She could do this. She could face her daughter after everything she had done last night. Sophia probably had no respect for her now and she would probably be in a state of shock that her mother had done something like this, but they could work through it.

She opened the door and was greeted by a tall muscular man dressed in black jeans and wearing the same type of vest that Daryl wore. His hair was cropped short and it somehow made his appearance that much more intimidating. This must have been Merle. He turned away from the work bench and met her eyes unflinchingly. The slow smile that spread over his face had her feeling like a bug trapped under a glass.

"Carol," he nodded by way of greeting.

She swallowed hard and then nodded, glancing around the large open space. "You must be Merle."

He nodded. "That I am."

"Where is Sophia? We really should head home."

Merle nodded towards the door that led outside. "Her and Piper are out there."

Carol couldn't stand there and chat with him all day. She felt like there was a chasm growing between her and Sophia the longer she avoided talking to her. She felt like a horrible mother. She hadn't done a lot with her life. There wasn't much she had accomplished that she could be proud of but she had always tried to be the best mother she could be. She was proud of the woman Sophia was becoming and since Ed surely couldn't take credit for that she felt like she could. And with one stupid decision that was ruined. She was no kind of role model for her daughter. Sophia was probably humiliated.

She squinted in the early morning sunlight and heard laughter to her right. Sophia and Piper were leaning against the side of the car, smiling about something. Carol took another step towards the car, wincing as she walked across the gravel with her bare feet.

"Morning," Sophia said with a small smile.

Carol studied her face and other than the fact it was a bright shade of red, she didn't seem too traumatized. "You ready to go?"

Sophia nodded and glanced down at Piper, who Carol just realized was a whole head shorter than her. "I'll call you."

"Right on, square." Piper grinned and then walked towards the door. "See ya around, square's mom."

"Bye Piper," Carol said quickly. She finally made it to the car, hoping that there was still skin left on the bottom of her feet.

Before they pulled away she turned to Sophia, who was looking straight ahead. "Are you okay?"

Sophia turned her head, her eyes searching Carol's. "Are you?" She asked, her voice nothing but curious.

Carol ran a hand through her hair. "No, I'm not. I didn't mean for any of that to happen. I certainly didn't mean for you to find out about it. I'm so sorry-"

"Stop," Sophia said angrily. "Just stop."

Carol blinked, not used to hearing so much emotion in her daughters voice. She opened her mouth to say something else but Sophia was speaking before she could.

"I know what you did was technically wrong, okay? And I know more details than I care to ever know. But don't tell me you're sorry. There isn't a reason for you to be sorry."

"Sophia, you aren't old enough to-"

"Mom, I'm old enough to know how miserable you are. How miserable you've always been. I see it and I hate it. I hate the way he talks to you and I hate the way he treats you. So what if he hasn't hit you in a while. The fact that he's ever hit you makes me hate him."

Carol was stunned at her outburst but she stayed quiet because it didn't look like Sophia was finished.

"You cheated on your husband. Okay? You can feel a little guilty about that because that's just how you are. But don't look me in the eye and tell me that you're sorry when I know that you aren't. You deserve to be treated good. You deserve to have a man make you feel... anything but sadness. You did what you did but Ed shattered the sanctity of your marriage the first time he ever hurt you so don't ever apologize to me again. Not for going against a man that treats you like shit. Not for letting yourself be happy for one stupid night."

"Can you really look me in the eye and tell me that what I did wasn't horrible? Sophia, I barely know him. I don't want you to think that doing things like that is okay because it isn't. Not for any reason."

"I don't care that you haven't known him very long. How does he make you feel?"

"Sophia, that isn't what-"

"Answer the question."

Carol bit her lip, wanting to be honest at the moment but not knowing how to talk to her child about something like this. "I feel... good. I mean, not about what I did but... He's kind. He doesn't look like he would be but he is. It's nice to just be treated kindly." She cleared the lump out of her throat. He made her feel a whole lot of other things too but she couldn't explain those things to herself so she wasn't going to try to explain them to her daughter. "I'm not used to being treated like that."

"Mom, just leave Ed. We can make it on our own. I can get a job after school and help you out."

Carol stared at her, her eyes wide. "It isn't that easy."

Sophia's eyes softened and she looked more like the girl Carol knew. "I have a feeling that whatever happened up there, that isn't over. Leaving is going to be a lot easier than you think."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Sophia sat down on the edge of her bed, picking at a hole on the knee of her jeans. Her bedroom was the opposite of Piper's bedroom. Sure, she had a bigger room but it was bare. Piper had posters on her walls, pictures of friends and her dad and uncle nearly covering her mirror, clothes strewn around on the floor, names carved into the side of her dresser. Piper even had what she called a "vent wall" where she would draw or paint. It was her own space filled with mementos of her life. Every inch of the space screamed Piper. Sophia's room seemed sterile in comparison. Like someone took a clip out of a magazine and plopped it into their house.

Ed wouldn't tolerate a mess.

She stood up, pacing the floor. She was so angry. Why wouldn't her mom just listen to her? She had always been the daughter that she thought Carol needed her to be. She was always quiet. Always understanding. She was always whatever she needed to be to make her mother's life easier. And in the process of being what her mother needed, she became someone she didn't even know. She felt like a prisoner, not just in her own home but in her own head. She couldn't just be Sophia. She had to be what her mother needed and her father expected her to be. And she felt so cheated that she was angry enough to hit something.

Last night Piper's dad had woken up and caught the boys in the house. They weren't really doing anything but sitting around in Piper's room and talking but Piper knew that they weren't suppose to be there. When Merle had stomped into the room Sophia braced herself for the violence that would ensue. Merle had threatened to string all of the boys up by the balls if they didn't get the fuck out of his house. Sophia had been terrified, not knowing what Merle would do to Piper after the boys left. She'll never forget what had happened next.

Piper had stood up, fists clenched and stormed right after her dad through the house. She had demanded to know why he was being such a "tyrannical ass". Merle had simply shrugged, told her that if she was going to throw a hissy fit like some little girl then he was going to force her to go to school in a dress and then, to Sophia's astonishment he'd laughed at her outrage.

If Sophia ever spoke to Ed like that she was sure he would beat her to death.

Piper was allowed to be Piper and Sophia never had a chance to be anyone at all. Her phone went off, startling her and she smiled at the name that popped up.

"Hello?"

"Dude," Piper said quickly. "My uncle is totally stupid over your mom! This is awesome!"

Sophia laughed. "How do you know?"

"Oh I know. I know the guy better than anybody. I can tell just by the look on his face when he came down. This goofy ass grin. I've never seen it before."

"Well, that's a start," Sophia said with a smile.

"It's more than a start, dude. We need to pop some popcorn and sit back and watch this unfold. I have a feeling things are totally gonna be a lot more interesting around here."

"Good," Sophia sat, flouncing on her bed gracelessly.

~H~

Carol sat alone in the dimly lit kitchen. Sophia hadn't said much to her since her outburst in the car and Carol was convinced that the things that had happened in the last twenty four hours hadn't really bothered the girl as much as she thought they would. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. Most kids would have been scarred from something like that. Her daughter was a lot tougher than she looked, and deep down, the girl was also a lot more angry than she had ever let on. It had her reevaluating a lot.

She jumped when the shrill ringing of the house phone startled her out of her thoughts. She didn't even look at the display before answering, knowing that the only person that had the number was Ed. Thankfully he didn't make a habit of wanting to talk to her because the caller id had shown no missed calls. "Hello?"

"Guess what I found."

Carol's pulse quickened and her body jumped more than a few degrees in temperature at the sound of that husky voice. Memories of that rough timbre in her ear talking about stupid decisions swirled through her mind. She glanced around the room but she was still alone. "My underwear?"

He laughed and the sound of it had her smiling widely. "Nah. Did find your bra though. Somehow it ended up under my pillow. Coulda swore I got rid of that thing on the stairs."

"Are you calling me just to tell me that you found my bra?" She grinned as she leaned against the counter. She could listen to that voice all night long.

"Nope, I got better news than that. I was thinkin' about keepin' that as a trophy anyway so I you can't have it back. Don't even ask. Somebody found your jacket though and left it behind the bar. Your phone was in the pocket."

"Oh! That's great. I wasn't sure how I was going to explain that one."

"You want me to bring it by?" He asked suddenly.

Carol chewed on her lip and then sighed. "Yes, I do but not with Sophia here. After everything I don't think it'd be a good idea for her to see us..."

"Then I'll bring it later. Trust me, she won't even know I'm there."

"How much later?" She asked, glancing at the clock.

"I'll just wake you up if I have to."

"I'm not leaving my door unlocked," she said quickly. She looked up as Sophia entered the room.

"Don't leave it unlocked," he said casually and she could almost see him shrugging nonchalantly.

"Okay..."

"You want me there?" He asked but his voice sounded like he already knew the answer to that.

"Yes," she said, not hesitating.

"Then I'll be there."

"How?"

"You can't really talk right now, can you?"

"No, I can't," she said with a smile, her eyes following Sophia as she rummaged through the refrigerator.

"You know, I can wait and just give it to Piper and she can pass it on to Sophia at school."

"Is that what you'd rather do?" She asked, knowing that that wasn't what she wanted him to do but she wasn't going to grovel and beg him to come see her.

"No," he deadpanned. "I'll see ya later, Carol." With that, he hung up.

"Who was that?" Sophia asked once Carol sat the phone down.

Carol wasn't going to lie to her. Well, not really. "Daryl. He found my phone."

Sophia leaned against the counter and eyed her. "You like him a lot?"

Carol blew out a breath. "Yes. I like him. If I didn't like him then..."

"Then you wouldn't have slept with him?" Sophia quirked an eyebrow at her.

Carol felt her face flush. "That isn't what I was going to say."

"I met a guy that I like," Sophia said suddenly.

Carol stared at her for a few long moments and then she smiled. "That's nice. Where did you meet him?"

Sophia shrugged. "School. His dad is a member of that club. Him and Piper and a few other guys grew up together. I think you'd like him."

Carol wasn't sure what to say. Sophia was old enough to be interested in boys but she'd never shown any interest before. Ed had rules about things like this but Carol wasn't about to tell her that she couldn't date. Not after what she had done. "You should invite him over."

"What about Ed's rules?" Sophia asked, her eyes guarded.

Carol hopped up onto the counter, her legs swinging back and forth. "I thought about what you said today. And I think that things around here really do need to change. I can't tell you that I'm leaving your father again. Not yet. Things are so much more complicated than you realize. But this week has been..." Her voice trailed off.

"This week has been great, mom," Sophia said softly.

Carol nodded. "It has. I feel like this is the first time we've ever been able to just be ourselves. We've had fun together. I think things need to stay that way."

"Ed won't ever let that happen."

Carol nodded. "He won't like it. It'll be hard at first but I think he'll get used to it."

"And if he doesn't? You say this now but I know what's gonna happen when he comes here. It's all going to go back to how it's always been."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. I just want to know, if you've felt this way all along, why haven't you said anything to me? Why mention it this week, after we've bought this house?"

Sophia hopped up on the counter next to her. "Because I don't want to make things harder on you. I know how hard things are already and I don't want to make it worse. I'm just tired. I'm so tired and I'm too young to feel this tired."

Carol placed her hand over her daughter's. "Sophia, it isn't your job to take care of me."

Sophia nodded. "I know that. But I also know that you've kept him away from me for all these years. What kind of person would I be if I made it worse?"

Carol smiled. "You would be a teenager, Sophia."

"And I also know that you think that whole thing with Daryl has me upset but it really doesn't. I want you to be happy."

Carol felt guilt settle in her chest but she smiled through it. "You are really something else."

Sophia snorted. "Yeah, I'm starting to think maybe I get that from you. Who would have guessed that my mother was a cougar."

Carol's mouth dropped open. "Seven years isn't that much. It isn't like he's twelve!" She used his own words.


	12. Chapter 12

**I should be asleep but apparently my brain had other plans because here I sit. Here's an update for those of you that are as bored as I am right now. I pity you. Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Twelve**

"Why the hell do you keep whistlin'?" Merle grumbled, sliding out from under the car he'd been fixing up for the past three months.

Daryl wiped his hands on a rag and shrugged. "Can't a man whistle when he wants?" He slammed the hood closed. Damn Merle always breathing down his neck.

Merle reached up and Daryl grabbed his hand, hauling him off the floor. "Yeah, if you were any other man. Ain't used to your moody broody ass whistlin' tho."

Daryl snorted and leaned against the work bench. "Maybe I'm just in a good mood. You should try it sometime." He was actually in a goddamn terrific mood but he figured that would be a little over board.

Merle sighed. "I am when I ain't tryin' to figure out what to do with you and that damn girl. The two of you can run a man ragged."

Daryl snorted. "The hell you goin' on about? I don't need any lookin' after. I'm grown. You worry about Piper and I'll worry about myself... and I guess I'll worry about Piper too."

Merle handed him a beer. "You're a grown man that's done lost your head over a married woman. That tells me your ass needs at least a little bit of lookin after."

"I ain't lost my head over anything," he argued.

He felt Merle's eyes on him but he kept his eyes on the car. "Boy, you can't bullshit me. You got an unlimited supply of pussy on tap and you pass it up all the time. You sure as hell don't take them up to that room when you don't pass them up. Then from what I hear you were snappin' like a pitbull at every man that tried to get in on it."

Daryl scowled. "That's bullshit. I was just trying to keep their slobberin' asses from freaking her out. She ain't like those other women. She ain't used to shit like that."

"You fucked her in the hallway," Merle said suddenly.

"What! How the hell do you know that?" Daryl felt his ears burning.

Merle just laughed and shook his head. "You ain't gotta pretend like you don't give a shit about her, baby brother. I know you."

"I don't even know her. You just like to pretend like you know what's going on with me. You always have," Daryl grumbled, wondering which one of those asses from last night saw them in the hallway. Fuck it. Maybe they learned something.

"You tell yourself whatever you need to tell yourself, little brother. We both know you ain't done. You can give me that one night stand bullshit till your blue in the face but I know better. You're itchin' to get back in that woman. You're hooked."

"Fuck you, Merle," he muttered as he stomped past him. Merle's words were making him nervous. Merle didn't know what he was talking about. It was a fling. Sure it was an intense one but a fling all the same.

"Where you goin'?" Merle asked, stopping him with a hand on his shoulder.

"None of your business." Daryl tried to shrug the hand away but Merle tightened his grip.

"I want you to remember somethin'," he said, his eyes growing serious.

"What's that?" Daryl asked, even though he was dreading the hell out of whatever Merle was about say to him. He could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't going to like it. Merle didn't look too thrilled about saying it either, which only bothered him more.

"She's a married woman havin' some fun while her husband is gone. You need to keep that at the forefront, brother. Don't get yourself sucked into some nasty shit that you ain't ready for. And don't get your head all fucked up over a woman that don't feel the same way about you."

Daryl just shook his head and grabbed the vest hanging on the hook by the door. "I know what I'm doin', Merle. You ain't got a damn thing to worry about."

"Then tell me where you're going." Merle said, his eyes growing wary.

Daryl shook his head and was out the door before Merle could say anything else. It was well after midnight and regardless of what Merle said, he wasn't going to wait anymore to see her. He didn't understand why the urge to get to her was so strong. Maybe it was because this was about the last time he would be able to really even talk to her. Her asshole husband would be there on Monday and then this little... fling would be over. He went inside to wash up before he left and wasn't surprised to see Piper lounging on the couch. She sat up when he came in.

"You and dad done with whatever secretive crap you've been doing in that garage?" She asked as he passed her.

"Not quite," he answered vaguely.

"You two creepy bastards are scaring me with all this secretive crap," she griped as she followed him to the kitchen.

He laughed but didn't respond.

"You're going to see her again, aren't you?" She asked suddenly.

He glanced at her and nodded. Piper could know things that Merle couldn't just because she wasn't such an ass. Daryl was only eleven when Piper was born. Merle hadn't even known about her until he got a call from the hospital one night telling him that his daughter had been born two months premature with a crack addiction. Social Services had been called, along with Merle. Buck, their dad, had been locked up at the time, leaving Merle in charge of Daryl so he had no choice but to drag him along to the hospital. Even though Daryl had only been a kid the sight of a baby that small with all those tubes hanging out of it had fucked with his head a little. But not as bad as it had fucked with Merle. Daryl thought he'd kill the girl's mom, who just happened to be some strung out chick that Merle had had a brief relationship with.

After a DNA test proved that the baby really was Merle's the crack head had been more than happy to sign over all of her rights, giving Merle sole custody. She wound up dead of an overdose a few months later. Merle had been a mess himself back then but the Dixons had a thing about blood and he had stepped up, shaking his own demons so he could be there for his daughter. Daryl had overheard Merle on the phone, telling their dad that it didn't look good for the baby. The odds were against her. Lucky her, Dixons also had a thing about taking no shit and not giving up. She'd fought hard, Merle had fought with her and now sixteen years later she was more a kid sister to Daryl than a niece.

"I just talked to Sophia an hour ago and she was going to bed. Is Carol sneaking out to meet you somewhere?" She grinned.

Daryl snorted. "No. We ain't a couple of kids. We're grown."

"So you're gonna walk right through the front door?" Piper looked skeptical.

"Hell no. I unlocked her bedroom window this mornin' when I was there to get her clothes. I'm getting in that way."

Piper laughed. "That's very adult of you. I'm sure she'll be impressed."

"Shut up. I'm taking her her phone and then I'm leavin'." That was lie. His intentions were to stay until she forced him out of her bed.

"Bullshit."

He chuckled. "You're right. And when I leave from there I'll be headed to the garage so lock up before you go to bed and you keep them fuckin' boys outta your room."

"I'm not stupid. I plan on sneaking out once dad's in bed."

He gave her a hard look and she put her hands up in surrender.

"I'm bullshitting you. Jeeze. You know, I learn all this sneaky shit from you," she said, following him to the door. "You're a grown ass man about to sneak into some woman's bedroom window to screw her. You all are lucky I'm not a lot worse than I am. You're my role model you know?"

"Shut up. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Have fun!" She called before she slammed the door shut after him.

He took the bike instead of the truck this time. He was just going to park it at the garage and then walk to Carol's. It wouldn't take him long. He did feel like a fucking teenager doing this but what else could he do? Maybe he could have done what he suggested and just given the phone to Piper but then he wouldn't have an excuse and there wasn't any way around it, he needed to see her. He'd see her this one last time and then he was done. Merle didn't know what he was talking about. Sure, Daryl liked her. There wasn't anything there not to like. She was goddamn perfect. She was funny and she was sweet and she was hot and she didn't try to go out of her way to impress him. And they had a lot of goddamn chemistry in the sack. He had never been with a woman like her.

Her room faced the back yard and he had no trouble standing on the banister and shimmying up onto the low hanging porch roof. It was after one in the morning so he was pretty sure that no one would see him. If they did then he'd really be in a bind because the cops would definitely get called. It wouldn't be easy explaining away why he was about to go through a window.

The window opened easily and he climbed in as silent as any burglar. He was having second thoughts about this grand plan of his when he saw her sleeping form curled up in the middle of the big bed. Now he just felt like some kind of fucking weird pervert.

Was Merle right? Was he getting in over his head here with this woman? He had been able to shrug it off on the way here but now that she was right there his head felt all fucked up. His stomach felt all fluttery and his heart was beating too hard. He felt a little panicked. What the hell was he doing? If he had been excited over the sex then that would be one thing because the sex was fucking incredible. And he was looking forward to that. He couldn't act like he wasn't, but he was looking forward to waking her up and seeing the look on her face when she seen him. He was looking forward to asking her how it went with Sophia. He was looking forward to talking to her. Talking? What the fuck? Maybe Merle was right. This wasn't a good idea. There was something else going on here and he didn't know what it was and was starting to freak him the fuck out.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair before he retrieved her phone from his pocket and sat it down on her nightstand.

He turned to slip back out the window, everything in him telling him not too, to wake her up and to take advantage of what little time they had left, but he didn't. He slid the window open, got one leg out, and then nearly fell back into the room when suddenly, she screamed.

 **I won't take forever to update again and remember, don't worry. It's me. Those of you that know me should trust by now not to let little bumps in the road scare you too much. Hope you all have a great morning!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hi you guys. Just got back from a Birthday party and I'm running on fumes. I'm going to bed! But I didn't want to make you wait for a super long time for the next chapter so I'm posting before I crash. Thanks for reading and remember, trust me!**

 **Chapter Thirteen**

He spun around and nearly got his foot caught on the frame. The scream had been brief but it was definitely enough to draw the attention of anyone else upstairs. She was sitting up, clutching the sheet to her chest and her face was so pale she looked like a ghost. Her eyes were huge.

"Shut up! It's just me!" He hissed, glancing towards the door.

"Daryl! Jesus, you scared me to death," she growled and then threw a pillow at him.

He dodged it and finally got his foot back inside. "I dropped your phone off," he said, pointing to the nightstand.

She leaned up, letting the sheet fall away and turned the lamp on. She glanced down at the phone and then looked up at him. He was surprised to see hurt in her eyes. "You weren't even going to wake me up?"

He shoved his hands in his pockets and shook his head. "I was going to and then I just thought it'd be best if I didn't." He let his gaze rake over her. He got a decent view of a dark green strappy top that looked like silk from where he was standing.

"Mom?" Sophia called from the other side of the door.

Carol's eyes widened and just as the door knob turned Daryl dove onto the floor between the bed and the wall, wincing when his head slammed into the nightstand. He grimaced, rubbing the spot but he stayed silent.

"Hi, honey. Did I wake you up?"

"Yeah, are you okay? I heard you scream."

"I'm fine, just a nightmare," Carol assured her quickly.

Daryl made a face when he heard the bed squeak slightly. Sophia wasn't going anywhere just yet. Surely she wouldn't walk around to this side of the bed. If so then he was busted again. He was really bad at this sneaking around shit.

"You haven't had one of those in a while," Sophia said sadly. "Is it because we were talking about Ed today?"

"Um... I don't think so. I'm fine, really."

"You dreamed that he hit you again didn't you? You sounded scared, mom. If you need me to stay up for a while I will."

Daryl nearly rose up and asked what the fuck Sophia was talking about. The asshole hit her? She'd told him that he was an ass but she didn't say that he put his fucking hands on her.

"No. It wasn't like that. You should just go on back to bed. I didn't mean to wake you up," Carol assured her in a strained voice.

He heard Sophia get back up and was able to see her bare feet walk towards the door. "Okay. But if you do dream about... that, just wake me up and we can go watch a movie or something."

"I will," Carol said, her voice sad.

As soon as the door was closed he shot up onto his feet. She stood up too and hurried over to lock the door. "What the fuck was she talkin' about?" He demanded, pointing to the door.

Carol shook her head. "It's nothing. I used to have these dreams a lot and-"

"Does he hit you?" He asked, not quite understanding where the hell all this outrage was coming from. His hands were shaking and he felt sick to his stomach.

"No, he doesn't. He probably wants too but he doesn't. He used too. Things got bad a few years ago but that's over."

He studied her face, breathing heavily. She seemed just as confused over his overreaction as he was. It wasn't like it was any of his business. It wasn't like he had any right to feel like this. And then Merle's words came crashing back. _"You ain't gotta pretend like you don't give a shit about her, baby brother. I know you."_

"Daryl?"

What the hell was he doing here? "I should go," he said, backing towards the window. "I should have just given the damn phone to Piper. I don't know what the hell I was thinkin'. I'll see ya around."

He saw her swallow hard but then her chin came up. "Okay."

He flinched at the regret in her voice. She wanted him here. He wanted to be here but knew that being here was a really bad idea. Last night had been a really bad idea. This morning, sober, had been an even worse idea. But this, this was bad. He'd parked his bike and walked a mile just to climb up the damn porch and sneak into her window. And it wasn't for a piece of ass either because if he'd stayed at the garage then he could have had his pick of women. This wasn't about sex. God, he wished it was about sex. And he could see that she was hurt because he was still backing towards the window and the thought of causing that hurt made him even sicker than when he had heard about her husband hitting her. He stopped right before he made it to the window.

How much had she suffered back then, when things had been bad with her husband? And she obviously wasn't being treated too good now or he wouldn't even be here. She watched him with those sad blue eyes and then he found himself moving towards her without even realizing it. He gripped her waist, pulling her against him and kissed her before he let himself think about it. She was shoving the vest off and he was backing her towards the bed.

"I thought you were leaving," she breathed as his nose skimmed her jaw on the way to her throat.

"Can't," he muttered, being as honest as he could at the moment. He had been right in guessing that the nightgown was silk but it didn't compare to the softness under it.

"Good," she whispered. She let go of him long enough to reach behind her and turn off the light. "Cause I really really didn't want you to go."

He clenched his teeth, hating how much he loved hearing her say that. This was fucking insane. So he bunched up the hem of her nightgown and slipped it over her head. He was surprised when his hands came down on her hips and the skin there was bare. "One more night. No sense in wastin' it, right?" He whispered next to her ear, causing her to shiver. He learned quickly the night before that that was her weak spot.

"That would really be a shame."

"Yeah, it would."

~H~

She didn't know how they ended up on the bed but she wasn't complaining. Not at all. He hadn't stopped kissing her since he started. It made it difficult for her to get his shirt off but now it was and the feel of his skin sliding against hers as he hovered over her was driving her crazy.

He was nestled between her legs but he hadn't bothered taking his pants off. She didn't mind though. It was actually really sweet. She couldn't remember the last time she had actually made out with someone. It made her feel like she was a teenager again. It did have her mind wondering to very dangerous places though. If he had simply come here to sleep with her then he could have done that by now. But it seemed like he just wanted to be with her. And the thought had her heart racing and her mind spinning.

She trailed her hands down his stomach but he grabbed her hands with one of his own, easily pinning them above her head as his lips trailed down between her breasts. She could see him easily from the moonlight that poured in the windows. He made his slow way up the slope of one breast, his lips closing over the peak, sucking deeply. She gasped and tried to wretch her hands free as she arched into him but he held her wrists firmly. While he tormented her with his mouth his free hand slid down her body until his skillful fingers were exploring her. As soon as he switched to the other breast he slid one finger inside of her, stroking her slowly. He growled low in his throat like it felt just as good for him as it did for her.

He raised up just enough to kiss her quickly and then he moved down her body, letting go of her wrists. She knew where he was heading and she couldn't control her breathing. But she really had to try because they had no choice but to be quiet. But when his mouth met her flesh she almost lost what little control she still had. Before she could cry out, however, his hand came up and clamped over her mouth. When he eased one more finger inside her his tongue started a frantic pace. She squeezed her eyes shut, unable to stop the pitiful noises that escaped her. She reached for the pillow under her head and covered her face with it, allowing him to move his hand. His fingers linked through hers, squeezing gently. That small gesture on his part seemed to unravel her. She clamped her lips together and squeezed his hand so hard it had to have hurt him. The intensity of her orgasm stunned her. It was almost too much. It was almost a scary experience to feel so much all at once.

She bit into the pillow as her body spun away from her. By the time she came down she barely knew her own name. He jerked the pillow away from her face and slid up her body, his mouth coming down on hers hungrily. She didn't protest. He let go of her hand and sat up so he was on his knees looking down at her. He shook his head and ran his hands down her inner thighs as he worked on getting his breathing under control. He was still holding back and she didn't understand why.

Finally he went for his belt and in her opinion, he couldn't get his pants off fast enough. He still didn't rush, and she didn't understand this need for him to take his time with her. Last night, and even this morning in the shower, it had all been about physical gratification and obtaining that gratification as quickly as possible. This was so different.

He leaned over her and she looked up, meeting his eyes in the silver moonlight right before he pushed into her. The entire world seemed to stop. The intensity of that look stilled her racing mind, somehow breaking her heart into a million pieces and causing a painful lump to form in her throat. Neither one of them moved, not even to take a breath as, for a moment, she lost her entire being in his eyes. Finally he closed them and let out the breath he had been holding, moving slowly and dropping his forehead to hers. She thought that breaking eye contact would break whatever strange spell had enveloped them but it didn't. She felt drugged. She felt like weeping. And when he kissed her this time she felt tears escape her and this only confused her further.

"You alright?" He asked, his voice sounding as tortured as she knew hers would.

She nodded, too overwhelmed with the strangeness of the situation to be embarrassed by it or to answer him. His thumbs brushed over the corners of her eyes to her temples and then he met her eyes again. He kept his pace slow, his gaze steady and his hands roamed over her like he was a blind man reading braille and she did the same. She needed to remember everything about him because this wasn't going to happen anymore. This was it for them.

And he seemed to be hell bent on making it as memorable as possible because he made sure she enjoyed it. Over and over, her body relented to his and he kept going. When she finally felt him tensing he cursed into her throat like it was too soon. Her arms locked around his neck as he finally let himself get lost inside her. And when it was over he didn't move for a long time. She didn't mind. She didn't want him to move. She ran her fingertips up and down his spine in a feather light touch that left goose bumps in their wake.

He was going to leave and she didn't want him to leave and that made no sense. This was nothing and she was feeling like it was everything. Maybe she was too old for something like this. She should have thought about the consequences. Consequences that were proving to be far more damaging than she ever imagined. Finally he raised up on his elbows, sighing before he rolled off of her. The empty feeling she was left with was another emotional blow that she hadn't expected. She swallowed hard and stared up at the ceiling, waiting for him to get dressed and leave her there.

"I need to go," he said after a few silent minutes.

She swallowed hard and then nodded.

"You gotta do one thing for me though, alright?" His voice was low and gruff.

She turned her head to look at him but he was still staring up at the ceiling. "What?" She whispered.

"If somethin' ever happens. Somethin' bad I mean, you gotta swear you'll call me." He turned his head then, his eyes troubled. "But if things are alright, if things are good here, I need you to swear that you won't call me. Not if he's here and you're okay. Cause we can't do this again."

"I don't understand," she whispered, feeling her throat closing up again. "I can't even talk to you?"

He shook his head. "I don't understand either, and that's why I need to stay away from you."

She bit her lip until she was sure she was close to drawing blood but she didn't say anything. "I'll stay away if that's what you want," she managed.

He shook his head and a bitter smile graced his face. "That ain't what I want. That's the last fuckin' thing I want. But that's how it needs to be."

She nodded. "Okay." She understood.

He sat up and ran a hand through his hair, causing it to stick up at odd ends. She had the urge to smooth it down but she stayed very still other than pulling the blanket up. She knew that being covered wouldn't diminish the vulnerable feeling. That was all internal. But she forced that feeling down and willed herself to toughen up. It made no sense to feel like this.

He didn't say anything else. His pants were still on the bed and he quickly pulled them on and got up, getting the rest of his clothes quickly. She leaned up on her elbows, watching him miserably. Once he was dressed he surprised her when he leaned over and kissed her. It was sweet and bitter and it nearly broke her all over again because there was very much a goodbye in the way his lips lingered softly against hers.

And then just like that he was gone. Sneaking out of her bedroom window like some teenaged boy.


	14. Chapter 14

**I'm so glad you all seemed to like that last chapter. Even if it was a little sad. Hopefully you enjoy this one too! Thank you all for reading!**

 **Chapter Fourteen**

He sat on her roof for a long time before he finally jumped down. He was glad that he had a walk ahead of him. He needed the walk. He needed to get his head clear. Something happened up there and it had him shaken. It had him feeling like everything was off. He wanted to blame Merle for putting crazy ass ideas in his head. But this hadn't had a goddamn thing to do with Merle. He knew when it had happened. The exact fucking moment that everything in his head shifted to some fucked up place. And it wasn't just him. It was her too. She felt it all turn upside down.

He couldn't blame anyone but himself. He had known this was different from the very start. When she was in the garage while that party raged on and he was getting her battery, looking so goddamn unsure of herself, that was what had snagged him. He'd known it too but he hadn't paid any mind to it. Then this happened. Up in her room, she had looked up at him and it felt like his chest had cracked open, exposing parts of him that he didn't know were even there. He'd felt like, for the first time in his life, someone was seeing him. The real him. And actually liked what they saw there.

He hadn't wanted it to stop either, that feeling of acceptance. That feeling that the person looking at him held all the power in the world to somehow close her fist and crush his whole being, but trusting completely that she never ever would.

He kicked the hell out of a rock that was in the middle of the dark street, sending it flying into a car that was parked by the curb. He didn't care. He wished it would have knocked the fucking windshield out. He could take solace in mindless violence.

"It's what you get, dumb fuck," he grumbled to himself. His chest felt heavy, bruised and his thoughts refused to turn away from what had just happened. If he knew what had happened then maybe it wouldn't bother him so much but he didn't know. He had no idea what any of it meant at all. And it pissed him off because he liked to have some semblance of control over his emotions. He sure as fuck didn't right now.

Why the hell had he thought it would be okay to sleep with a married woman? Oh yeah, because he had wanted her and in his head that made it okay. "How did that work out for ya, idiot?" He kicked another rock, sending it sailing through the air.

~H~

"Are you serious?" Sophia asked, eyes wide. She couldn't believe that it was over already.

Carol nodded, crossing her arms over her chest and sitting down heavily in the chair across from her daughter. "Everything's taken care of and he'll be here sometime this afternoon."

Sophia studied her mother's face carefully. "Is that why you've been crying?" She knew her mom would deny it but when she had gotten up she had known right away that her mom was upset. Her eyes were puffy and she looked so defeated that it actually made Sophia's heart hurt for her.

Carol looked up sharply. "It's allergies. I haven't been crying. Your father isn't worth crying over." She added bitterly.

Sophia's brows shot up but she didn't get a chance to say anything. Someone was knocking on the door. She was out of the chair before Carol could even blink. It was obvious that her mom was off this morning and it wasn't just allergies either, she didn't believe that one for a second. She managed to burn breakfast and then finally gave up and handed Sophia an apple. Sophia didn't complain though. She was sure it was her nerves because Ed was coming today.

She pulled the door open without looking out the window to even see who it was. She blinked in surprise and then she looked down in horror. She was still wearing her pajama bottoms with stupid hearts all over them and a tank top that had a stain on it and she didn't even have on a bra. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Nice pants," Damon said, flashing her a grin that had her blushing even deeper.

"Hi," she said, her voice too high and her face turning red, remembering what Piper had said about the boy. He was apparently interested in her. Surely Piper was just making it up. But then again, Piper was pretty straight forward.

"Bad time?" He asked, leaning against the door frame.

She shook her head and then remembered that she hadn't even brushed her hair. She'd planned on lounging in her room all day. She hadn't known she'd get caught looking like crap by a guy that she had a huge crush on. "Actually, could you give me a second? I..."

"Who's at the door, honey?"

Sophia turned and saw her mom standing a few feet behind her, a frown between her brows.

"A friend," Sophia said, wishing he would have called.

"You want me to give you a second out here or can I come in?" He glanced past her.

"I..." she glanced over her shoulder again but now her mother was smiling at her knowingly. "Sure, you can come in."

He nodded and stepped past her once she finally moved enough for him to squeeze through. "Hey," he said to Carol, offering his hand. She shook it with a smile. "I'm Damon."

"Carol. You thirsty?"

"If you're buyin'."

Carol shook her head and turned to head into the kitchen. Sophia watched him follow her and then darted up the stairs. She threw on the first decent clothes that she could find and then ran a brush through her hair. She couldn't believe he hadn't even called to tell her he was stopping by. Who did that! She glanced at her reflection and rolled her eyes at how pink her cheeks were. "You're such a dork!" She hissed at her reflection before nearly tripping over her dirty clothes. "Good Lord!" She growled, gathering up the clothes so she could toss them in the laundry basket in the bathroom.

Once she finally made it downstairs it didn't seem like she had missed much. He was sitting at the table with a juice box. She couldn't help but laugh. There he sat, dressed in black with that leather jacket of his, sipping on a juice box.

"Hey, don't judge me. These things are good for growing boys."

Carol chuckled. "Honey, you're sixteen and over six feet tall, I don't think you need anymore juice."

"Oh, I'm not sixteen. I'm twenty three."

Sophia saw Carol's face go white.

"I'm kidding," Damon said, leaning back in his chair. "I'm seventeen."

Carol made a face at him and rolled her eyes. "You're adorable."

"I agree," he grinned.

Carol leaned against the counter as Sophia sat down at the table, trying not to do anything to make herself look stupid. "I thought you were suppose to go somewhere with Piper today? Some kind of car show or something."

He shook his head. "That's why I'm here. She had to bail and I have the extra ticket and thought I'd see if you wanted to go instead."

Sophia frowned. "I thought she really wanted to go? She talked about it all day."

He nodded. "Yeah, well, she's a Dixon and family trumps classic car shows I guess."

Sophia saw her mom stiffen from the corner of her eye. "Is everything okay?"

Damon met her eyes and then his gaze flicked up to Carol's. "Daryl showed up at the garage last night and got totally wasted. I guess it was so bad that one of the guys called Piper to come pick him up. By the time she got there it was too late."

"To late?" Carol asked, her eyes wide.

Damon nodded. "Cops showed up before Piper could. He'd dragged Dave Henderson out to the street and beat the hell out of him. I guess there wasn't shit anyone could do. There were a couple of witnesses so this isn't one of those times that Buck can sweep Daryl's temper under the rug. Well, he can but it might take a little while. He's down in Florida right now working on something."

"He's in jail? Right now? And who the hell is Buck?" Carol asked frantically.

Damon nodded. "He'll probably get out tomorrow if they can't get him out today. That's just how it works. And Buck," Damon shook his head. "Buck is Piper's grandad. Trust me, he'll get it all taken care of. He runs this whole damn town."

"How do you know all this?" Sophia asked.

Damon met her eyes. "Because my old man ain't just some biker. He is second in command. He's the VP."

"The what?" Sophia felt very uninformed.

He stood up then. "I'll tell you about it some other time. Do you want to go with me? I figure, even if you aren't that into cars there's other crap we can do afterwords. Catch a movie, go eat food somewhere. Whatever you feel like doing." He looked up at Carol, "If she can. I mean, I guess I should have asked you first."

Carol still looked distracted but she smiled. "Sounds like fun. Do you think you can have her home by ten?"

"Mom," Sophia said, unable to keep the worry out of her voice. "I thought Ed was suppose to be back this afternoon?"

Carol met her eyes. "And I told you that things were going to change around here. You aren't five. I'll take care of it. Go have fun."

"Are you sure?" Last night she had been angry because she had spent her whole life worrying about her mom. Now her mom was telling her to go and now she was standing there arguing.

"Sophia," she said, raising an eyebrow at her. "Go look at cars and eat food. No drugs, no drinking and no sex."

"Oh my God," Sophia groaned.

"Yes, ma'am," Damon said, getting up quickly.

Sophia thought her heart was going to jump out of her mouth when he grabbed her hand on his way by.

"Have fun and don't let her spend the whole day worrying about me," Carol called.

"I'll call you, mom," Sophia called over her shoulder as Damon pulled her out the door.


	15. Chapter 15

**Warning for light violence here! Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Fifteen**

Daryl knew where he was before he even opened his eyes. The thin mat under him told him everything that he needed to know. He sat up and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands, wincing when he realized that he had a cut above his eyebrow.

He stood up, stretching out the kinks in his back and popping his neck. He knew he was going to be stuck here for a while. Buck wasn't even in Georgia so he wasn't getting any help there and he was pretty sure that Merle didn't have the pull with the big wigs to get the charges dropped. So now he was stuck in here with nothing but his thoughts. This was going to be a long day. A very long day.

He barely remembered the events after he stalked behind the bar, grabbed two bottles of bourbon and took them up to his room. He'd been trying to make himself numb. He had managed that alright. He had blacked out completely. He remembered almost falling down the stairs on his way back down to the garage. He remembered Dave sitting down next to him at the bar. He was pretty sure Dave asked him why Daryl didn't have the classy piece of ass with him and that was it. He had been to far gone to remember anything after that.

He sat back down on the cot, mentally preparing himself for the next twenty four hours when he heard the clang of the electronic lock slide out and then the door cracked open. His head snapped up in surprise. A familiar face appeared then.

"If I wanted any shit from you Walsh I'd scrape it off your teeth," he grumbled.

Shane Walsh leaned against the door, trademark smirk in place. "Don't be like that, Dixon. It's been months since I've seen you. And I come bearing good news."

Daryl sighed and leaned his head against the wall. "What's that?"

"We're serving Sloppy Joe's for lunch," Shane deadpanned.

"Don't be a dick, Walsh," Daryl muttered.

Shane sighed. "You're out, Dixon."

"How?" Not that he wanted to argue but he didn't see how he could have gotten out on a Sunday with Buck out of town.

"Posted bail. Daddy called and had somethin' arranged." Shane grinned.

Daryl stood up. "Lead the way, Dick Lips."

Shane barked out a laugh. "You know Dixon, if you wasn't as pretty as you are I'd knock your teeth down your throat."

"Well ain't you just a flirt," Daryl smiled on his way past.

Shane laughed. "You know it. Wanna grab a beer later?"

"On a Sunday? It's against my religion."

Shane led him through a set of familiar doors and then gestured towards the desk. "You know the drill. I'll see ya around.

"Yeah, I'm sure you will."

Shane clapped him on the back on his way by and Daryl headed towards the desk.

~H~

Carol couldn't function today. She broke two plates, she dropped a whole pitcher of tea on the floor and she had no idea what to cook for dinner. Her mind wasn't in the present at all unless she was worrying about whether Daryl was okay. When she wasn't thinking about him sitting in jail she was thinking about the night before and that was something she really needed to just forget.

Her phone going off had her jumping out of her skin. She fished it out of her pocket and frowned because she didn't recognize the number. She opened the text anyway and then felt relief wash through her.

 _"Hey, sending word that my dumb ass brother is out. Thought you'd like to know since you seem like the type to worry and shit. M."_

She quickly replied. _"Thank you, Merle."_ She wasn't sure why the man had felt the need to tell her that Daryl had been released. She had only met him that one time but she was thankful he had.

The sound of the front door opening had her tensing as she shoved her phone back into her pocket. The slam that followed caused her to flinch. She closed her eyes and steeled herself for the chaos that she knew would reign down on her now. She was going to stay true to her word, though. Sophia deserved a normal life. _She_ deserved a normal life. Ed was going to accommodate them or he would just have to leave. Or her and Sophia would leave.

"No dinner?"

She took a deep breath and turned around, glancing at the clock before her eyes settled on Ed's disapproving face. "It's only four thirty, Ed. We don't eat until six. That's your rule, remember?" He hadn't seen her in a week and he was going to do nothing but ask about dinner the moment he lumbered through the door. It was hard for her to hide her disgust at the moment.

He snorted and opened the refrigerator. "Looks like you've been eating dinner non stop since you got here. How much weight have you gained? Twenty pounds?"

She stared at his back, his words having their usual effect, tearing her down piece by piece. Making her feel disgusted with her appearance. But then something strange happened. Through the sting of his words she remembered the way Daryl had looked at her body. The way his hands felt on her skin. And then she smiled. "No, I haven't gained any weight. I actually lost a few pounds since Sophia and I have been doing so much walking."

"Well, it must be something else making you look like shit then. Where is Sophia?" He turned around, cold eyes meeting hers before she looked down.

"She's out with a friend. She'll be home by ten." Here it was. This was what she had been waiting for. His whole body went still and his head came up slowly. She swallowed hard.

He slammed the door so hard that he caused a potted plant on top of the refrigerator to fall and crash to the floor. "What the hell do you mean, she's out with a friend? She's not allowed to go out and you know it."

Carol finally looked up, meeting his glare and she hated the fear she felt right then. She couldn't do this. She couldn't fight him. She couldn't live with his wrath. She just needed to do what he said and things would be...

 _"If somethin' ever happens. Somethin' bad I mean, you gotta swear you'll call me."_

"Well, are you gonna explain yourself?" Ed barked, taking a step closer, hovering over her.

With Daryl's words clear in her mind her chin came up and she met his eyes. "I don't think that calls for an explanation, Ed. She's sixteen years old and she wanted to go look at some old cars with a friend. She needs to have some sort of life of her own."

His fists clenched and he took one more step. She forced herself to keep her head up. "You call her and you tell her to get her goddamn ass back here now."

Carol shook her head. "I'm not forcing her to come home." She had to do this. She had to stand her ground. She had to do it for Sophia and she had to do it for herself. They were not prisoners here. They were not pets that he had the right to control.

His nostrils flared and a rage she hadn't seen in a long time turned his features to stone. He wasn't used to her defying him. Whether he hit her or not, she was afraid. Always to afraid to question him. "Just who the hell do you think you are? You think since I've been gone for a week that anything's changed? You don't make the rules around here. I make the rules. It would do you a lot of good to remember that." He wanted to hit her and she knew it. She wasn't sure if he was going to and that was the thing she hated the most. She felt safer with a man that she didn't even know than she did with the man she had spent the last seventeen years with.

She turned and was about to walk out of the kitchen but his hand closed over her upper arm, jerking her until she was forced to face him again. He leaned into her face, his breath foul. She met his eyes again and this seemed to make him even angrier.

"I don't know what the hell's gotten into you while I was away but I'm here and I'm telling you right now, this attitude of yours stops."

She jerked her arm out of his grip, the first time she had ever physically defied him throughout their entire marriage, even during the worst years. His hand came flying towards her face and she wasn't fast enough to dodge it. The crack of his palm across her face sounded in her ears before she felt the pain. The throb in her jaw and the sting as the corner of her lip tore from the power behind the blow.

"This is your fault!" He roared as he shoved her and stepped away. "Do you think I wanted to do that?"

There was a sharp knock at the door, saving Carol from facing more of his screamed excuses. She went to step past him but he grabbed her arm again, squeezing hard, stopping her again and causing her to wince at the grip.

"I'll get it. You keep your ass in here where you belong," he snapped.

She wretched her arm away from him again but she didn't stick around this time. She hurried to the door, throwing it open quickly. Her eyes widened when she saw Piper standing there.

"Hey, Square's mom. They back yet?"

Carol quickly stepped out the door, shutting it behind her before Ed could come hear anything Piper may say. "No, I don't think they'll be back until ten. Actually, do you think your dad would let Sophia spend the night at your place?"

Piper had grown very still as she looked up at Carol's face. Before Carol could stop her the girl threw open the door and hurried inside. Ed was just coming in through the dining room, his face still an angry mask.

"Who the hell is this?" Ed barked.

Carol quickly put herself between Ed and Piper but Piper was fast.

"Hey, you're Ed Peletier, right?" Piper asked quickly, her voice pleasant and the smile on her face seeming genuine.

Ed's face changed from rage to arrogance as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Yeah, who are you?"

"I go to school with Sophia and she mentioned that you're about to take over that new dealership. The one that sells the Harley Davidsons, is that right?"

Carol wasn't sure what to do because she had no idea what was going on. What was Piper doing?

Ed nodded, still studying the girl curiously.

"My grandad owns a garage over on Hindley just a few miles away. He heard that you were suppose to be some real important big shot over there and thought you might be interested in doing a little business with him."

Ed scowled. "I'm a business man, little girl. I don't have time to chat up with some old man at a two bit garage. You need to run along now."

Piper ran a hand through her unruly hair and shook her head. "You got it wrong. He's not some old man and that place isn't a two bit garage. He's the president of the motorcycle club here and him and my dad and uncle, they've been looking for some new guys that might be interested in joining. They just thought since you were a bike guy you'd be interested. Thought I would swing by and ask but if you aren't interested I'll pass it along. It's a damn shame too. They're are some pretty powerful players in that-"

"Hold on a second. An MC?" Ed didn't look curious anymore. He looked like he was about to salivate. Why was Piper doing this?

She nodded, green eyes flashing like daggers. "Oh yeah."

"And they're interested in me?"

Piper nodded. "Oh yeah." She looked at Carol then, her eyes hard. "I just need to call my uncle up and make some arrangements and you can meet with him."

Carol's heart sank.

"Well you go ahead and do that sweetheart. I can talk to him whenever he's ready."

Piper nodded. "Trust me. He'll be chomping at the bit to talk to you Mister."


	16. Chapter 16

**Okay, I already posted this chapter about 30 minutes ago but I had to replace it. Oh my God the typos! I am embarrassed. Hopefully I caught them all and this version is more acceptable!**

 **Chapter Sixteen**

Daryl didn't feel like taking anymore shit from Merle and he wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone else either so he locked himself in the room above the garage and laid on the bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering what the hell he was going to do about this assault charge. It wasn't his first, of course, but not all of the other ones stuck so he'd just have to hope that this one didn't either.

That was what he was thinking about on the surface anyway. Deep down he was actually thinking about how weird it was that his pillow still smelled like Carol and how long the scent would stick around. Not that he laid there sniffing his pillow like some kind of obsessive whack job. He rolled his eyes when someone started banging on the door. He was pretty sure it was Merle and he'd already had an ear full from that grumpy bastard.

"Open the door, asshole!"

He sat up, scowling. What the hell was Piper doing trying to tear his fucking door down? He unlocked it and then she nearly plowed him over as she stormed through. "What the hell's your problem?" He hadn't seen the girl this pissed off in a long time. She was better about keeping her temper under control but she looked like she was ready to tear someone apart.

"I just stopped by Sophia's to see if her and Damon were back," she said angrily, pacing the floor. "He hit her! The mother fucker hasn't been home a day and he's already hit her!"

"Who hit her? Ed? He hit Sophia?" Daryl felt his insides turn to ice.

Piper shook her head. "No, he hit Carol. She opened the door and it must have just happened. The side of her face was red and there was blood on her lip. Blood!"

Daryl stared at her, his mind refusing to process what she was saying. "She said that she'd call if he did that." He was trying to think of any other reason she would have a bloody lip. Surely if he had come home and hurt her she would have let him know about it. She'd sworn she would call if she needed him. Then again, she had also sworn she wouldn't call if she didn't. She probably just didn't want to burden him with her problems because she thought that he didn't want to see her anymore and that was the furthest fucking thing from the truth.

"Well, she lied because he hit her and I know it," Piper barked. "And you should see him! The arrogant bastard. I swear to God I wanted to rip his ugly face off!"

"You went in there?" Daryl growled.

"Hell yeah I went in there. He can't get away with that shit." She stopped pacing and crossed her arms over her chest.

"What did you do?" he asked, knowing that Piper was capable of doing any number of stupid things. She was little and always had been, which had always worried Daryl and Merle so the girl knew how to defend herself. They made damn sure of that.

"He's coming here tomorrow to meet you," she said angrily. "And you can take care of it."

He felt like a trapdoor just opened up under his feet. "You fucking told him? Are you stupid! He'll beat her death!" He stood up, running a hand through his hair. He was fully prepared to go to her house right then and slit the bastard's throat.

She scowled and shook her head. "Of course I didn't tell him! I told him we're recruiting and since he's gonna be running that dealership you all wanted to talk to him about joining up with us."

He shook his head. "Piper, that ain't even how that works." He felt like he was going to throw up and his head started throbbing at the thought of that man touching Carol.

"But he doesn't know that." She ran a hand through her hair and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Look, I don't know what happened with Carol last night but I know that you at least care about her enough to not want her to get hurt. You can keep tabs on him this way."

He swallowed down the anger that rose like bile in the back of his throat. Why the hell hadn't she called him as soon as it had happened? "What the hell can I do for her if she ain't even willin' to do anything for her damn self?" He knew that wasn't fair. He knew things weren't always cut and dry like that but goddamn she could have came to him. He could do something to help her.

"You have to do something," Piper yelled, glaring at him.

Daryl glared right back at her. "What am I suppose to do?" His voice shook with the rage that he tried to swallow down.

Piper stared at him, those jade green eyes wide with disbelief. "You can think of something! You can't act like you don't care! We ain't blind! We can all see it!"

He held her gaze for a long time, his mind spinning. What he wanted to do was kill the bastard. Just walk right into the house and kill him. But he couldn't do that. "You really think sittin' that cock sucker down in front of me is a good idea?"

"That was kind of the point," Piper said as she headed towards the door. She turned around before she left the room, meeting his eyes. "You're gonna fix this. You're gonna get your head out of your ass and you're gonna do something to put a stop to this shit. If you don't... then you ain't who I thought you were. You don't let people that you care about get hurt. One of the first lessons you taught me. You stick your damn neck out for the people that you love. You remember that." With that she slammed the door, leaving him standing there, staring at the floor.

He knew he had to do something. Not doing anything right now was causing his chest to tighten. But what good would he be to her if he went there and then got his ass thrown right back in jail?

~H~

Sophia had actually enjoyed the car show. She didn't know a whole lot about cars but he didn't mind telling her all about them. She was surprised that not only was he going to look at other cars in the show, but he was actually an invited guest. He drove a 1971 Dodge Challenger. It suited him. He looked like the type of guy that would drive a car like that. He also had a bike, which hadn't surprised her at all. She hadn't had a whole lot of time to think about what may be going on at home. Now they were sitting in a tiny booth at a burger place that was teaming with like minded teenagers and as they ate she let her mind wonder.

"You're worried about her, aren't you?" Damon asked.

Sophia looked up, meeting his dark eyes. She attempted a smile but it fell as she picked at her burger absently. "I guess I am." She looked back down at her plate.

"Can I ask you somethin'?"

She smiled. "You've been asking me things all day so what's one more question?"

He crossed his arms on the table and leaned closer to her. "So, I hear that Daryl has it pretty bad for your mom. Did you know he was with her last night?"

Sophia shook her head. "She wasn't with him last night. She was at home in bed. I went in there and saw her."

He shook his head. "He was there. He didn't show up at the garage till about four in the morning and something must have happened between them cause he hit the bottle pretty hard after he got there. Word is, this tag along, Dave, said something about your mom and Daryl went total ape shit. He beat the hell outta the guy."

Sophia met his eyes. "So? My mom's a grown woman. She's allowed to do whatever she wants to do. I think it's awful that Daryl was arrested for sticking up for her but-"

"You don't get it, do you?" He smiled and stole a fry off her plate. He had already ate all of his and her plate was still pretty much full.

"I guess not."

"Dixon's got a claim on your mom, dude. Another man puts his hands on her and it's bad news. So don't sweat it. If this Ed guy touches her then he's a dead man."

Sophia made a face. "So some man can just put some kind of claim on a woman and then that woman is his? That's the most sexist thing I've ever heard in my life."

He shrugged. "It's just how it is in my world."

"Well that's sick," she muttered. She looked up quickly after taking a much needed drink of her Coke. "You don't think that's sick?"

He grinned. "Not really. We're just a little... territorial is all. It's important for us to protect the people we care about. That ain't so bad. A lot of chicks dig it."

"Well, I don't think my mom's just going to let some man say she's his and then leave it at that, regardless of the perks."

"Did you see your mom's face when I told her about him being locked up? I think your mama's more than okay with it. Daryl is one of those guys that never gives a shit about women. They're there for one reason. But your mom's different."

"My mom is a married woman," she countered miserably.

He laughed at that. "And how has that worked out for her? I mean, fuck. Daryl went to jail just because someone said something about her. Her own husband treats her like shit. You think a piece of paper makes a damn difference?"

She sighed. "I think now that Ed is back things are just going to go back to normal. She wants things to be better but they won't be. If she tries to go against him too much he's going to end up hurting her."

He met her eyes then. "It's too late for that. You and your mom, the two of you just fell down the rabbit hole, Sophia. You don't step into this world and then skip back out. You walk in and the door shuts behind you. That door only opens one way. No exit sign. I don't know how it's all gonna play out but I'm telling you, Daryl and your mom are too far gone. It happens. It happened to my mom. It happened to Merle and Daryl's mom." He shrugged like it was no big deal.

"I almost wish that were true," she said quietly, holding his gaze.

"And what about you?" He asked, his eyes growing even darker as he studied her. "He ever touch you?"

She shook her head quickly. "No, not really. She always gets in the way before anything like that can happen." She tried to smile. "Why? Do you have some sort of biker claim on me now?" She meant it as a joke but he didn't laugh.

"Maybe."

She felt her face flush, not only at his words but at the way he was looking at her. She wasn't used to being looked at like that and she wasn't sure how to react. She liked him. She liked him a lot and he had been really sweet all day. But what he had said really was sexist. He couldn't just say he had a claim on her and then that was that.

"What if I did?" He leaned even closer. So close that she could smell the faint scent of his cologne. "Would you have a problem with that?"

She swallowed and forced herself to meet his gaze. "Maybe."

His lips twitched and he leaned back in his chair, laughing quietly. "You ready to get outta here?"

She nodded and stood up, wondering what they would do now. They had went to the movies early to beat the evening crowds and it was only a little after eight o'clock.

Once they made it outside she was surprised to see that it was drizzling. It had been clear when they had gone into the restaurant. The wind kicked up, whipping some of the rain under the awning that they were standing under and she looked down in horror when she realized that her shirt was very white. And by the time they made it around the corner to the car it would be completely see through. Damon stripped the leather jacket off and handed it to her and that was when the skies opened up and the rain started coming down in sheets.

"You'll get soaked if I take your jacket," she argued but she took it anyway. It was much too big but it was warm and it smelled amazing.

"Feels like it dropped twenty damn degrees while we were in there," he said, almost yelling over the deluge. He grabbed her hand and they both ran in the direction of the car. He even opened her door for her, ushering her inside before he slammed it and ran around to the driver's side. When he got in he shook his head, spraying water all over her and the dash.

"Well, that was unexpected," she said as she watched the water slam into the windshield.

He started the car and pulled out onto the street just as Sophia's phone started ringing. She answered wearily after checking the caller ID and seeing that it was her mom's number. Ed had probably demanded she come home and now Carol was calling to cut the date short. If it was a date. She still wasn't sure. "Hello?"

"Hey, you having fun?" Carol asked and Sophia frowned when she heard the forced cheer in her mom's voice.

"Yeah but it just started pouring. What's happened?" She asked.

"Nothing. I was just calling to tell you that you're spending the night at Piper's tonight and riding into school with her."

"No," Sophia said, dread filling her voice. "I don't want you to be alone with him. I know something's happened, mom. I can tell."

"Sophia, please. I'm fine. He's just angry that you went out and I don't want you to have to deal with that right now. It's not a big deal."

"I'm coming home anyway. I don't even have any clothes over there and Piper is at least nine inches shorter than me so I can't borrow any of hers."

"Piper was here earlier and she packed a bag for you. I'll pick you up after school tomorrow, okay?"

"Mom..."

"I love you." The phone went dead and Sophia clutched it so hard that she was sure it would break.

"Hey," Damon's soft voice had her looking up. He was staring at her worriedly and she was surprised to feel his hand slip into hers. "Everything alright?"

She shook her head. "She said that I'm suppose to stay at Piper's tonight. Something happened already. He hasn't been home for one day and something happened. And it happened because of me." She was struggling to blink the tears back.

"So I need to take you to Piper's?"

She shook her head. "That's what she said but I need to go home."

"I'm not taking you home," he said quickly.

"What?"

"If your mom don't want you there because of that asshole then I don't want you there either."

"Damon, take me home," she said, anger lacing her voice. It sounded foreign to her. Why did everyone treat her like she was some little kid? She was close to seventeen years old. She didn't need to be coddled or protected. She needed to make sure nothing happened to her mom. Especially since the whole reason Ed was mad was because of her.

"Sophia-"

"I'm not going to Piper's tonight."

"Then you'll come home with me but I'm not taking you to your house." The finality in those words had her scowling.

She stared at him with narrowed eyes. "Why?" She demanded.

"Because if your mom don't want you there then there's a reason. Fuck, why are you so stubborn."

"Because my mom might need me!" She snapped.

He shook his head but didn't say anything else for a long time. The rain was beating down so hard she had no idea where they were. He didn't even look at her again until he pulled into a driveway and killed the engine. He turned in his seat so he was facing her. "What could you do to help her that she can't do herself?" He asked.

She stared at the window but still couldn't see anything. "Where are we?" She asked, ignoring his question.

He got out without answering her, rounding the front of the car and opening her door, reaching for her hand. She took it and got out, letting him lead her to a house she'd never seen before. He let go of her once they were on the porch. "My place. You said you weren't going to Piper's. I said you weren't going home. So here we are."

Sophia stared at him, her mind momentarily drawing a blank before his words sunk in. "What? I can't spend the night with you!"

"Why?"

"Because! I'm not like that! And do you really think your parents would let you have a girl sleep over?"

"Not like what? And it doesn't matter cause they ain't here and they won't be here for a few more days."

"I can't spend the night with you," she said, feeling panicked. "I'm not the type of girl that you can just take home and..." She shook her head, not finishing the sentence.

"Why? You think I'd try something?"

She shook her head. "Not if I didn't want you to try something," she said, her voice smaller than she meant it to be. She looked away from him, out towards the car. Just yesterday she had been thinking about how unfair it was that she wasn't able to do the same kinds of things other kids her age did. How she didn't know herself because she had never had the chance to be herself. Her mom insisted she was fine. And he was right. She had never truly been able to protect her mom from Ed's wrath.

"What do you want me to do?" He asked, sounding deflated. "I give, alright? Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it."

She pulled his jacket further around her, trying to ward off the chill. What did she want? Did she really want to go home? She met his eyes and there was no mistaking the concern there. He only wanted to help her and she wasn't even sure why. "Okay."

He sighed. "Okay what?"

"I want to stay with you."

He glanced towards the door before meeting her eyes again. "You sure about that?"

She nodded. "You're right. I can't do anything for her other than make things harder."

"What about school tomorrow?"

She shook her head and moved over so he could unlock the door. "You feel like skipping?"

One dark eyebrow shot up. "You're a woman after my heart, you know that?" He opened the door and pulled her inside.


	17. Chapter 17

**This one is kind of late. I woke up with the stomach flu so I haven't been on my computer much. Thank you all for reading and I hope that all of you feel way better than I do =)**

 **Chapter Seventeen**

When Carol saw Piper and a few of the boys she recognized walk out she breathed a sigh of relief. Sophia was usually one of the first kids out the door at the end of the day. When Sophia didn't come out behind them she felt panic well up in her chest again and she got out of the car.

Piper saw her and Carol could have sworn that the girl cursed. She waved at the boys and headed Carol's way. "Hey, how's it goin'? Did you here that Daryl got out yesterday morning?" Piper smiled brightly. "I forgot to mention that when I stopped by."

Carol couldn't force a smile for the girl. "Where's Sophia?" She asked, glancing over Piper's head but there weren't anymore student's coming out.

"Oh," Piper glanced around. "I think Damon gave her a ride or something."

Carol eyed her. At the moment Piper looked like a Precious Moments doll, her large green eyes full of innocence. "I've been sitting out here since before the bell rang, Piper. She never came out. And now that you mention it, Damon didn't come out... Oh God. Tell me she stayed with you last night."

"Course she did. That was the plan, wasn't it?"

"What's goin' on?"

Carol's heart nearly leaped out of her chest at the sound of that familiar voice. She looked up just as he was strolling over. He didn't seem to be looking at her at all but she couldn't tell with his eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses. "Did Sophia spend the night with Piper last night?"

He shrugged, "I don't know. I didn't come home last night."

She couldn't help but wonder where he had stayed if he hadn't gone home. Or who he had stayed with. She didn't have time to think about it too much because suddenly he was whipping off those dark glasses, grabbing her chin and forcing her head to the side. She had thought the light bruise was covered up by the makeup she had painstakingly applied but as his eyes roamed over her face she knew she hadn't done a very good job. She felt his thumb graze the small cut on the corner of her mouth.

"Why the fuck didn't you just call me?" He asked, his voice like ice. "That was the only goddamn thing I asked you to do." His eyes bored into hers.

She pulled her face away from his grip. "I didn't know that the offer was still on the table. I didn't come here for some kind of confrontation with you. I just want to know where Sophia is."

He eyed her angrily and then shook his head. "We need to talk."

She had spent a lot of the night thinking about him. Him and her and the stupid decisions that led her to her precarious emotional state. He was a twenty seven year old biker with a criminal history. And that was okay. She wasn't judging him for who he was. She wasn't judging him because she loved how he could be all of those things and still make her feel like he would do anything for her. Like she was the only person in the world when she was with him. She loved the way he had made her feel things, deep things, that she hadn't ever felt before. She could easily leave her husband and pursue some sort of fling with him but she didn't have the option to do that. She had a teenaged daughter to think about. A teenaged daughter who was currently missing. "I need to find my daughter," she said quickly.

He didn't seem very happy about the subject change but he did finally look down at Piper. "Where the hell is she?" He asked. "And don't you even think about bullshitting me."

Piper cursed under her breath. "I didn't lie. She's with Damon."

"Where?" Daryl asked, his voice harsh.

Piper sighed heavily. "They're probably still at Damon's. That's where they stayed. You happy now? I'm officially a nark."

Daryl's eyebrows shot up at that. "She spent the night with him? Odin and June are gone."

Piper nodded. "Yeah, I guess that's why they didn't put up a fight when he took her back to his place."

"Have you talked to her?" Carol gasped.

Piper shook her head. "Not today."

"Get in the truck, Piper," Daryl ordered and the girl didn't put up a fight like Carol expected her to.

They watched her storm off, not happy but willing to give them a few moments alone. Carol looked at him then, really looked and felt her brows pull together in a frown. He had a deep cut right above his eyebrow and an obvious black eye. Without thinking about what she was doing she ran her fingertips lightly over the bruises there. He stayed very still for a few seconds before his hand reached up and pulled hers away. He didn't drop her hand like she thought he would. Instead he linked their fingers together. His eyes slid down to her mouth.

"Why didn't you call?" He asked quietly, his thumb sliding over her wrist lightly. "Even if you didn't call when it happened, you coulda called later."

"What good would it have done?" She asked, her heart racing at his touch. "You come and rough him up for it and end up getting yourself arrested again? What's the point? This is my hell, Daryl. I created it with my bare hands. It isn't your job to pull me out of it. We had a few nights together. They were great. Probably the greatest I've ever had, but it doesn't mean you're responsible for me or it's your job to protect me. You have your own life and it's vastly different from mine."

He squeezed her fingers gently. "I'm gonna have Piper ride with you so she can show you where Damon lives. I'm gonna have a chat with your husband, whether you want me to or not. And my job is whatever the hell I want it to be. If I wanna pull you out then I'll pull you out. Kickin' and screamin' if I have to."

The thought of him meeting Ed had fear gripping her. "Daryl, all you're going to accomplish is making my life worse. Please just drop it."

He shook his head. "I know what I'm doin'."

She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, trying to talk her heart into not breaking just from being around him. Then she realized how hard she was gripping his hand and she loosened her fingers.

"Just trust me, alright." He said suddenly, dropping her hand and taking a step back. She hadn't realized how close they had been standing and they were in plane view of anyone standing near them.

She met his eyes and nodded miserably. She couldn't worry about him and Ed right now. She had to worry about her daughter. Who had spent the night with a boy and then skipped school. She just had to pray that whatever Daryl did today, she wouldn't pay for tonight. She turned around to walk away but heard him curse under his breath. She turned back around to face him and his lips came down on hers before she realized what was happening.

She should have pulled away. He couldn't tell her to stay away from him and then kiss her like this. But there was no way she could. She actually kissed him back, momentarily forgetting that they were standing right outside because she wanted this. Wanted it more than she had ever wanted anything in her life. He cupped her neck, his hands gentle as his thumbs trailed down her jaw. When he pulled back she realized she was gripping his waist tightly.

He sighed heavily. "Just go get your girl and don't worry about a damn thing, okay? I got this. You gotta trust me."

She nodded because even though she truly did trust him, she didn't trust her voice.

~H~

Sophia had been more than a little freaked out when she had woken up and realized that she wasn't in her own room. She wasn't in her own bed. And she wasn't sleeping alone. She hadn't meant to fall asleep in his bed. She had been scared to death when he had taken her straight to his bedroom, which looked very similar to Piper's. But he hadn't tried anything at all. He hadn't even tried to kiss her. So she had eventually relaxed and they had ended up on his bed, on their backs and he had quietly asked questions that she found herself answering honestly. Questions about herself and her parents. And then he didn't even have to ask questions anymore. She had talked on her own. And it had felt good to just talk. And talk and talk. They laid on his bed and she had told him almost everything.

She was pretty sure that she had still been talking when she had fallen asleep and when she had woken up there was a heavy arm draped over her and her back was pressed against something warm and solid. And it had been the safest that she had ever felt in her whole life. Nothing could happen to her here. Ed couldn't touch her here.

They didn't really leave the room even after they had woken up. She knew that her time here was drawing to an end and she wished it wasn't. She should have called her mom hours ago but she had been dreading it and then eventually just decided not to. He had put in a movie and now she was curled up with her head resting on his thigh while he sat with his back against the headboard. She wasn't paying attention to the movie because his hand, that had been resting innocently on her waist, was now moving. First it was just his fingers fiddling with the hem of her shirt but now it was his fingers moving in random patterns over the skin there.

"Somebody'll be here soon. School's about over," he said softly.

She swallowed hard. "It sucks."

He chuckled. "Yeah. It does. All this time we coulda been making out and here we are, watching some eighties flick and I ain't got the slightest idea what the hell it's even about."

She rolled over and then sat up. By now he knew almost everything there was to know about her. What was one more embarrassing fact? "I've never made out with anyone in my life." She said suddenly, watching his face carefully to see if he was going to make fun of her for it.

He blinked and then he snorted. "You're full of shit."

She shook her head. "No, I'm not. It's the truth."

He rolled his eyes. "You're hot. And not the annoying kind of hot where you gotta stand in front a mirror for an hour to make yourself hot. You woke up hot. You got legs up to your fuckin' neck and you're not a stuck up bitch. How the fuck have you gone almost seventeen years without making out with a guy?"

She flushed at his words.

"See! You don't even know it. That's a rare trait. You ever wanna know what it's like to make out then you just let me know. I'll be happy to show you the ropes." He laughed and shook his head.

"Okay," she said suddenly.

He grinned. "Okay what?"

"Show me the ropes. No better time than the present, right. I can't promise I'll be any good at it th-" Her words died as he pressed his lips to hers. She instantly froze up, unsure what to do but he was patient.

He pulled away just a little, his eyes on hers, dark and penetrating. "You're overthinkin' it."

"I suck at this," she whispered, feeling stupid.

He shook his head, grinning. "No you don't." He leaned in again and this time she relaxed. Or tried to. Her hands were still in her lap, balled into tight fists. Her heart was pounding so hard she was sure that her ribs would be bruised and she felt dizzy. But she kissed him back, following his lead easily once she stopped thinking so hard about what she was doing and just let herself enjoy it.

Before she knew what was happening he was pulling her closer, causing her to nearly climb onto his lap as he leaned back against the headboard. Her lips parted and he deepened the kiss. She wasn't sure where her mind went after that. Her hands were on his shoulders and she was as close to him as she could physically get. His arms were around her, anchoring her to him. When she finally pulled away to catch her breath he was staring at her with wide eyes.

"You're a quick learner," he said, his voice low.

Her breathing was ragged and she was almost embarrassed until she realized that his was too. "Probably because I have a good teacher." His head dipped down and now his lips were on the side of her neck. "Oh gosh," she breathed. "A really good teacher."

He laughed against her throat. "You're a fuckin' trip, Sophia."

She nodded like she was in total agreement with that assessment. "You know, maybe I shouldn't be letting you do things like this. I don't even know your last name."

He raised his head, the grin on his face almost had her grinning back. "Dixon."

She frowned. "What?"

"Buck Dixon is my dad's older brother. Daryl and Merle are my cousins," he said before his lips were on hers again.

Her head was reeling. She had a feeling that this was going to make things a lot more complicated than they had been.

 **I was a little bit nervous about posting this one. I don't plan on getting to in depth with Sophia's relationship. She's a good girl. And she's a teenager so don't worry about any graphic stuff with them. I didn't want anyone to worry about anything like that. No way I could write it =)**


	18. Chapter 18

**I'm really glad you all enjoyed that last chapter. And I agree. Poor Sophia is always stuck either dead or paired with Carl. I wanted to make up for that! Thanks for the well wishes! So far they haven't worked, but hopefully they will soon. This sucks. Anyway, thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Eighteen**

Daryl forced himself to calm down. There was only one way to go about this and he had to keep his head straight because if he didn't he could very well get Carol hurt. He steered clear of the bar and went straight to the room reserved for meetings. It had been a while since they had had one. He turned on the overhead light and ran a hand through his hair. He could fix this. He could fix all of it. He wanted to fix it by ramming a knife right into Ed Peletier's eye socket. He wanted to make the man suffer. Every fucking time he blinked he saw the bruise that Carol hadn't managed to hide. The cut on her lip. And then all over again he would have to force himself to calm down.

"You sure this is a good idea? Maybe I should stay in here while you talk to him," Merle said, suddenly appearing in the doorway.

Daryl shook his head. "No, I got this. All I have to do is fix it to where he don't hurt her again. That's easy. Then I won't have to worry about it anymore. It'll be done and over with." He knew that saying that he would be done with her was just him trying to convince himself. No matter what happened today he wasn't done. He wouldn't ever be done. He hadn't been able to stand their in front of her for five minutes without kissing her.

Merle rolled his eyes. "I say we just kill the mother fucker and you go take what's yours."

Daryl looked up sharply. "She ain't mine." That was a goddamn lie and he knew it. From the look on Merle's face, he knew it too.

Merle shook his head. "Bullshit. I know it's bullshit. You know it's bullshit. You ain't been right in the head ever since you met the fuckin' woman. She's yours. Stop bein' a fuckin' pussy and take her."

"It ain't that easy goddamn it," he snapped.

Merle scowled. "Ain't it? You're a scared little shit. You really want him to treat her good? You want him to make her feel like you did? You want him to put his hands on her all gentle like, baby brother?"

"Fuck you, Merle. You need to shut your mouth."

Merle leaned against the door frame. "That makes your skin crawl, don't it? But here you are, gonna fix it to where that exact thing happens. You had a brain you'd give it to him straight. His wife ain't his no more and he needs to pack his shit and get the hell outta dodge. Me and you both know what's comin'. You're gonna end up with that man's blood on your hands whether he beats her or fucks her. You won't be able to deal with either."

"Merle I swear to God if you don't shut up-"

"Why? You don't like thinkin' about that? She's claimed, Brother. You know she is. Hell, she probably knows it. And now we all know you ain't man enough to step up. I don't even know why you're here. Lettin' that sack of shit get into all those places you already got cozy in."

Daryl shook his head. "Fuck you. Get out," he growled.

The corner of Merle's mouth turned up but he didn't make a move to leave. "You think she'll slip up and say your name when he gets her in bed?"

That was it. Daryl grabbed a grim reaper statue off the table and hurled it, grazing Merle's temple as it flew past.

Merle reached up, running his fingers across the scratch. "Alright then, asshole. I'll let you get on with your bitch meetin'."

Daryl was about to storm after him and knock the hell out of him from behind but he didn't. Ed would be there soon and he needed to get this over with. But Merle's words kept running through his mind, causing his head to pound. Was that what he was doing here? He never thought about that. What if Ed did stop treating her like shit? What if he became the guy she married in the first place? There had to have been a good reason that she married him. Surely she hadn't married him knowing he was a piece of shit.

He couldn't let that happen either. The images that Merle put in his head had him ready to blow Ed's brains out as soon as he walked in. He was right. In Daryl's head, Carol was his. Period. And that was something he never thought would happen. Ever. Not in a million years. It just wasn't him. He had never wanted anything like that. Being tied down to one woman. Getting nagged for doing shit he wanted to do. Not being able to come and go as he pleased. He'd never thought this would happen. But he fell and goddamn had he fell hard. It didn't make any sense but then again, things like this never had. Not to him anyway.

A knock at the door had his head snapping up. A few seconds later, after taking a huge breath and willing himself to calm down, to think about Carol and not his own impulsive need to beat her husband into a coma, he opened the door. His teeth snapped together and a muscle ticked angrily in his jaw. Breath. In out...

"You Dixon?" Ed asked, his face and voice filled with arrogance.

"You the asshole that my niece told me about? Don't come in here thinkin' you're already in, big shot. Most men leave this very room with their balls stuffed back into their purse," Daryl said, his voice dripping ice. He was going to have to keep his head straight. He had to stop looking at the man like he was Carol's husband. He had to pretend that this was just business.

Ed didn't seem put out by Daryl's harsh words. There was a glint in the man's eyes that made Daryl want to gag. "I'm not your average man."

Daryl motioned for him to come in, sweeping his arm towards a chair near the head of the table. The head of the table was reserved for Buck but these were unusual circumstances so he was taking it today. If Buck came in and seen him sitting there he would hand Daryl his ass. But he wasn't due back for a week and so he'd act the part.

Ed sat down and looked at him expectantly, speaking before Daryl had even had a chance to sit down. "Your niece mentioned you wanted to talk to me about my position at the dealership. Did you want to talk about under the table deals or something?"

"You'll go over all that shit with my old man. He handles the details. I just need to know a few things real quick, give you a run down of what's expected of you if you decide to stick around."

Ed nodded but seemed a little disappointed. It was obvious that he was eager to brag about what he knew about bikes.

"For starters, where the hell did you live before you came here? I need to know about anything that could be a benefit or a liability to this club. You ever been to prison? Any connections to any other clubs? Drugs, arms, women? Anything we can use for profit that you can dip your fingers in, I need to know about it."

Ed shook his head, finally looking a little nervous. "I lived in Atlanta before moving. I've never been to prison. Been to jail a few times though. I've never been involved in any of the other stuff either but I assure you, I can learn. I think I can bring a lot to this place."

"What'd you get locked up for?" Daryl asked, already guessing and hoping he could keep his temper in check.

Ed snorted. "Just a few bullshit domestic abuse charges. Not a big deal."

Daryl tensed and leaned further into the table, crossing his arms. "Not a big deal, huh?"

Ed shrugged.

"So you're married?"

Ed nodded and rolled his eyes. "Yeah. I was a dumb ass and ended up getting the bitch pregnant in high school. Married her cause I thought it was the right thing to do at the time."

"You realize, if you're serious about all this, she ain't your wife no more. She's your property. Your property becomes our property. And trust me, asshole. We don't like our property getting damaged. You get what I'm saying to you? You put your hands on her then you're putting your hands on what belongs to me and I'll slit your fuckin' throat for that. You understand where I'm goin' with this, Ed?"

Ed smiled coldly and held up his hands. "Done. She ain't worth losing out on an opportunity like this. Besides that, it's been a long time since anything like that's happened. That was in the past."

"Is that right? Cause I heard different." He'd seen it with his own eyes.

Ed got that flighty look in his eyes again. "Well, that was a slip up, really. Bitch lost her damn mind while I was away for the week. She needed it."

"I don't care what the fuck you think she needs. You don't touch her again. Not unless I tell you otherwise. You look at her wrong and I find out about it we'll have problems."

"You serious?" Ed asked, looking like he was hoping that Daryl was joking.

"Serious as a heart attack, Ed. You ready to hit the road now? That to much for you?"

Ed shook his head. "Hell no."

Daryl smiled. "Really?"

"Like I said. I'm not most men, Dixon. You'll see."

"What if I told you that I meant what I said about touching her? What if I were to tell you that you ain't allowed to fuck your own wife unless I give you the okay?"

Ed stared at him for a long time but finally shrugged. "I haven't touched that fuckin' woman in damn near a year. That won't be a problem. Why all the interest in my wife though? I mean, I thought we'd be talkin' about somethin' else here."

"Maybe I plan on fuckin' her myself," Daryl deadpanned.

Ed seemed to tense, his eyes growing hard.

"You got a problem?" Daryl eyed him coldly.

"So you all just pass around another mans wife whenever you feel like it?"

Daryl shrugged. "If we feel like it. Like I said, most men leave here with their nuts in their purses, Ed. No shame in walkin' out now if you can't handle the stipulations."

Ed laughed, the sound making Daryl's skin crawl. "Not a chance. You people want her, have the bitch. I've seen a few of the women that hang around here though. Trust me, you wouldn't want her. She's a sorry ass hag compared to these ladies."

Daryl's hands started shaking. "I've seen your wife and trust me, there ain't a whore in this place that can compare," he growled.

The door flew open just then and Piper hurried in, Merle on her heels. "You got a phone call, Daryl. Dad can handle the rest. You need to take this. It's important," Piper rushed.

Merle pretty much yanked him out of the chair by the sleeve of his jacket. "Yeah, I can handle the rest. You need to get the hell out there. Now!"

Daryl was thankful that the two of them had probably been standing with their ears glued to the door because he was five seconds away from killing a man right now. He let Piper drag him out while Ed sat there like a fat fucking idiot not knowing how goddamn close he had just been to dying. Merle shut the door in his face.

He jerked his arm out of Piper's grip and headed for the door to the garage and the stairs beyond. If he saw the man again he would kill him and there wasn't a fucking thing anyone could do about it.

"Jesus, calm down," Piper hissed as she followed him. "It all went the way we wanted it to go. He's not going to hit her. I can't believe you added that he also couldn't sleep with her. That was a smart move I guess. Slow down!" Piper hurried after him but her legs were much shorter.

He stopped in the hallway at the top of the stairs and punched the wall. He needed to hit something and he couldn't hit his niece so he let his fist fly. It went through the sheet rock easily so he punched it again. When he was finished his knuckles were bleeding and Piper was leaning against the door frame with her feet crossed at the ankles.

"You done?" She asked, raising a brow.

"Go the fuck away, Piper."

"Yeah, I'll get right on that dick weed. You gotta chill the fuck out."

He growled and stormed past her. He hadn't expected to feel like this. He knew he was going to be pissed off no matter what Ed said. Hell, looking at him had pissed him off and he had even expected that. He hadn't been prepared for the rage that he felt now. This all consuming murderous anger that felt like it was going to swallow him whole.

Suddenly there was a phone shoved in his face. "Here. It's ringing."

He looked down at Piper, almost unable to see her through the red haze that hung over his vision. The anger almost scared him. He was completely out of control. He didn't know what the hell Piper was up to so he grabbed the phone and held it up to his ear, glaring at the girl.

"Hello?"

He let out a breath at the sound of Carol's voice and then he sat down on the bed, clearing his throat. He had no idea what to say but her voice was a balm for the anger he needed to get away from. "Hey," he muttered, watching Piper as she got out some paper towels and started cleaning up his busted knuckles.

"Are you okay?" Carol asked, her voice filled with concern. He must have sounded as unstable as he felt at the moment.

Piper glanced up, meeting his eye and he nodded. "I don't know," he said, the anger ebbing steadily. "Just talk."

Piper got up, smiling at him and then finally left him alone.


	19. Chapter 19

**I'm all better! But now I have to take care of a super sick pup =( . No rest for the wicked, I suppose. Thank you all for reading! You guys are the greatest!**

 **Chapter Nineteen**

Carol could sense that there was something wrong by his voice. It sounded shaky, almost unstable. For a moment she thought maybe he was drunk. "What do you mean, you don't know?"

He sighed into the phone. "I don't know that either."

"Daryl, did something happen? Do you need me?"

The laugh that sounded in her ear didn't sound like a happy one. "We don't even need to get into that right now. Just talk," he repeated.

"About what?" She asked, frowning.

"Anything? Fuck, I don't know."

"Well, I picked Sophia up from your cousin's this afternoon," Carol said, not even trying to hide how much the situation bothered her.

"Yeah? How did that go?"

She snorted. "Horribly. She's never done anything like this before so I have no idea how to handle it. I wasn't sure if I should talk to her about it or yell at her. So we kind of just drove home in silence and now she's up in her room and she hasn't come down and I'm still trying to figure out what to do about all of this. Any pointers? How does Merle handle Piper?"

"Hell if I know. He handles all that shit. I'm the fun one, remember?"

She smiled. He was sounding much more like himself. "Well, should I tell her not to see him anymore? Ground her to the house? I hate doing that since this is the first time she's actually ever gone out. But I should tell her not to see him anymore, right? She knew not to do what she did."

"I don't think that would work," he said.

"I didn't think it would. I just don't know what to do. I don't know what to say. I suck at this."

"You ever think about just letting it happen?" He asked suddenly. "Sometimes you can try to put a stop to somethin' but it don't do any good, ya know? You can try to stop it but it's already to late for that."

She sat down at the table, a sudden sadness creeping over her. "Yes. I know." She wondered if he was talking about Sophia and Damon or them. "I'm really glad I got to see you today. I know you didn't want to see me but I'm gl-"

"It ain't that and you know it," he said quickly and she could imagine the indignant look on his face.

"You're so damn confusing," she said softly. "You tell me that you don't want me to call you unless I need you but then you kiss me in front of everyone outside the school and now you're calling me."

"I met with Ed just a few minutes ago," he said suddenly.

Her heart jumped in her chest. "Daryl, what happened. Please tell me you didn't tell him what happened. You don't understand, okay. You-"

"He ain't gonna be so bad anymore."

She shook her head, holding the phone tightly. "You don't know him."

"Do you trust me?" He asked, the question catching her off guard.

"Of course I do, why would you ask that?"

"Then just don't worry about it anymore, alright? Look, I gotta hunt Piper down and give her her phone back. I need to see you though. Soon, okay?"

"Why?"

"I don't know," he muttered.

"That's your answer for a lot of things, Daryl. Like I said, you're a confusing man."

"Nah, I'm pretty easy to figure out."

She smiled. "I miss you." The words were out of her mouth before she could even think about what she was about to say and she knew how dangerous they were. "I mean, as much as I can miss some random guy that I barely know that I just met a few days ago. You know."

He actually chuckled. "Exactly. So when are you gonna show back up?"

Her smile fell. "I don't know. Hopefully we just run into each other again soon. I meant what I said. I was really happy to see you today. But I thought you didn't want to-"

"I take back what I said the other night. Call me anytime you feel like it. Fuck, pack a bag and come stay with me in that room if you want but right now I gotta go."

"Daryl?" She said quickly before he could hang up the phone.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think you can keep your phone close tonight, and keep yourself out of jail? I might need to call." She ignored how fast her heart had started pounding at the idea of his invitation.

"I'll keep it close and like I said, you can call if you want. But I promise, you ain't gonna have a reason to. It's done. He won't touch you."

She frowned, wondering what he could have said to Ed to be able to make such a promise. "Okay. I'll talk to you later, maybe."

"Bye, Carol."

He hung up and she was left staring at the phone in her hands, more confused than she was before he had called. And that was really saying something. She sighed and put the phone in her pocket. She needed to prepare herself for world war three when Ed came through the door. Hopefully Daryl hadn't signed her death warrant with this little meeting that Piper had thrown together.

Despite all her problems, however, she couldn't help but feel a little excited at the prospect of seeing him again. He was almost like a drug to her. She knew he was bad for her in a way but the way he made her feel was beyond words. And after last night she had made the decision that she was finally going to find a job. She had no college education and she had dropped out of high school when she had gotten pregnant with Sophia but she had went back and gotten her high school diploma. That had to count for something. And then as soon as she was able, she was leaving Ed.

She had no idea what exactly Daryl wanted. Surely he didn't want to pursue an actual relationship with a woman seven years older than him that had a teenage daughter and a dead end job. But she would be free to see him regardless of what their relationship was. She had done everything she could to save her marriage but she was done. She hadn't realized how horrible her life was until she had experienced just a few nights with another man.

No, that wasn't really true. Not just another man. Him. He had changed her somehow. Made her want to be more than what she was here. She wanted to be with someone that she could laugh with. Someone that would make her feel like she was worthy of good things. Someone that made her feel safe and cared for and who would push her to do whatever she wanted to do with her life. She wanted to be with Daryl Dixon.

But right now what she had to do was handle this situation with Sophia. Then she had to focus on finding a job and dealing with Ed's fury over that. He didn't want her to work. And then she would look for another place. She would get a one bedroom apartment and move into it if she had to. Sophia could have the room and she would sleep on the couch until they could find something better. But it was going to happen. She was going to stop trying to save something that had died a long long time ago and she was going to start living. She was thirty four. She had a lot of living left in her. She had plenty to offer the world. She wasn't going to be controlled anymore. And if Ed did decide that he was going to hurt her again, she would make that call and she would let Daryl handle it however he saw fit.

She felt strangely liberated as she climbed the stairs. "First things first," she muttered. She had to figure out what was going on with her daughter.

~H~

Sophia stood in the middle of her room, her arms crossed over her chest and a frown on her face. The walls were a soft green color with white trim, which she actually liked, but she was ready to make this place her own. Unfortunately she had no idea how to do that. What could she do to make the space say, this is Sophia's? She was trying to distract herself from what she knew was coming. Her mom hadn't said a word to her during the drive to the garage to drop Piper off. She had expected her to say something once they were alone in the car but she hadn't said anything then either. And as soon as Sophia came in she had ran up to her room.

She knew that her mom's life was stressful enough on her best days and she felt so guilty for adding to it. She didn't know why she hadn't just had Damon drop her off and Piper's. She didn't know why she had suggested they skip school. At the time it had seemed like a good idea. She felt free and a little rebellious. Now she just felt like a horrible, uncaring daughter and what she did simply wasn't fair. It wasn't fair because her mom had always tried so hard and...

She sighed when, on cue, there was a soft knock at the door. "Can I come in?"

She sat down on the edge of bed. "Sure," she called. She had never dreaded talking to her mom before. She wasn't sure how she felt about that at the moment.

Carol came in, shutting the door behind her and leaned against it, studying Sophia with a look that the girl couldn't gauge. "So..."

Sophia looked at the floor, feeling even more guilt wash over her.

"I have no idea what to say right now," Carol said with a forced smile, her voice unsure.

"I'm sorry, mom. I didn't plan any of that, okay? After you called I was so mad. All I wanted to do was come home to make sure you were okay and he refused to take me and I refused to go to Piper's."

"So you opted to spend the night with a boy, with no parents home, and then skip school? Sophia, I don't understand."

Sophia shook her head. "I didn't expect you to. I don't understand it. And I'm sorry but..."

"Did anything happen?" Carol asked suddenly.

Sophia felt her face getting hot but she didn't answer right away. Carol took this as a bad sign.

"Oh God," Carol's voice came out panicked. "Okay. It's okay. I- Did you use protection?"

"Mom!" Sophia stood up, horrified. "No! That didn't happen! I don't even know him very well and... Oh. I mean, no offense. I'm not judging you or anything. I mean. I let him kiss me. I kissed him, I didn't have sex with him! Why would you think that?" She felt completely mortified that her mom would think she could do something like that.

The relief on Carol's face was obvious. "Okay," she said, holding up her hands in surrender. "It just took a minute to respond so I thought the worst."

"Well, that didn't happen," Sophia repeated, sitting back down.

"That's good. You shouldn't be doing that. You aren't old enough to-"

"How old were you when you did it?" Sophia asked, knowing that her mom had her when she was just a little bit older than Sophia. She hated bringing that up but she didn't want a lecture about sex. She didn't plan on doing anything like that for a long time.

"Well, I was... I was young. Too young to be doing that! And now that I am sure you don't need to go get put on birth control, tell me why you skipped school today."

She shrugged. "I just didn't want to go."

"Sophia, are you hearing yourself?"

"Can you just ground me and be done with it. I don't want to talk about it. I just want to be alone right now."

"No, that isn't how this works. I don't think. I wouldn't know because up until yesterday I never thought I would be trying to figure out what to do with you," Carol said angrily.

Sophia felt guilty, sure, but she was starting to feel something like anger herself. "You went and had an affair with a complete stranger and I had to hear all about it, what the hell do you expect me to do? Neither one of us are who we've been pretending to be, mom. I'm tired of being nobody. Just like you are."

"Is that why you did it? Because of Daryl?" Carol asked and Sophia could see the hurt in her mother's eyes.

She shook her head. "No. Not really. I mean, I was happy for you. I thought this was the push that you needed. Some tawdry affair with a random guy, you know? I thought that now, things really can change. Now we can really get away and be ourselves. And then when you said that I needed to go stay with Piper, I knew it had gotten bad. And I knew it was because of me. I just wanted to get away from everything. And I can still see your face, mom. He hit you because of me." She tried to pretend like she didn't see it but there wasn't any way to do that. "And you still won't leave him. I don't want to live like this anymore and I don't understand. I don't understand why you keep refusing to do anything about it. I'm sorry that I did what I did. I really am. I'm just... I'm tired of feeling like this. Tired of being afraid and unsure. I don't feel like that when I'm with Damon or Piper."

Carol took her hand and sat down. "He hit me because he's a coward and he's a bully, not because of you. But you are wrong. Tomorrow morning I'm going to look for a job. As long as nothing like last night ever happens again, ever, then you can see about looking for some after school work. Not something that's going to get in the way of your grades. I just won't have any extra money so anything you want you'll have to pay for. I don't want you to go without. I don't want you to be miserable or afraid but what you did, I don't want you thinking that it's okay to do that. If either of us are going to live precariously, it's me. I'm older and I've earned the right." She tried to smile but she looked nervous.

Sophia stared at her mother for what seemed to be an eternity. She looked different. Stronger. And she believed her. For the first time in a long time, she felt a glimmer of hope, not only for herself but for her mom too. She felt tears sting her eyes but she smiled and let her mom pull her into a hug.

"I want you to do something for me, though. I know that what I'm asking is a lot right now but it's important," Carol said when she finally pulled away.

"What?" Sophia asked, wiping under eyes.

"Tonight, after dinner, I'm telling your father that I'm going to go job hunting tomorrow. There isn't any way I can keep it from him. Not with the way he keeps tabs on me. I want you to come up here and keep your phone close. If you hear anything. If it sounds like things are getting bad downstairs between Ed and me, I need you to call Daryl. Can you do that?"

Sophia felt her chest tighten with fear, fear for her mother and fear for the future, but she nodded.


	20. Chapter 20

**This is probably going to give some of you Sons of Anarchy feels but I was in a mood when I wrote this chapter. That and... when I was younger I was always more insightful after smoking weed. No worries though. I am no longer a stoner. Don't want to lose any respect from any of you. It started making me think I was constantly being followed by the cops so I gave it up.**

 **Thanks for all the thoughts concerning my dog. He passed away this morning and I get worst mom of the year award because I haven't told my youngest yet. I'm working on it, though. Anyway, if you see any glaring mistakes, I'm distracted and may not have gone over this chapter very carefully. It's been a really rough week. Thanks for reading.**

 **Chapter Twenty**

Daryl sat on the roof of the garage, his knees pulled up to his chest. He didn't get high very often anymore but today had been one of those days that he was so fucking close to the edge that he scared himself a little bit. The sun was going down, painting the sky in colors that seemed just a little more vibrant than they would have if he'd been sober. His phone was close but he didn't expect it to ring.

He took another hit, the sweet smoke filling his lungs and clearing away the angry fog that was still clinging to him, leaving him feeling less rage and more contemplative of this whole fucked up situation. Good weed could do that. He held it in until he nearly choked on it and then blew it out in a thin stream. He needed to think about what the hell he was going to do. Merle was right. He was all fucked up over some woman. Something he never thought would happen.

Now that he was a little more calm he was able to sort out all the shit that had been messing with his head since the damn minute he had met her. Everything had snowballed fast and it seemed to keep snowballing. He hadn't meant for any of it to happen and yet it had all happened regardless. He couldn't get her out of his head. Then again, what the hell kind of life could he offer her? This was a world that few really knew much about. What right did he have to try to drag her into it? Sometimes members of the club found themselves neck deep in some dangerous shit. It didn't happen all the time but still. If he cared about her then why the hell would he risk her getting hurt because of him?

But it didn't matter now. For some reason she had dug her claws in deep. If he hadn't gone to her house that night. If that hadn't happened then he would have probably been able to follow through with walking away from her. But that night had changed everything. It had changed him.

He'd never felt anything like that before. He hadn't thought he was capable of it. You see shit like that happen to people in movies. You read about shit like that happening to people in books. But that didn't mean it really happened. But it had. And now he was sitting on a rooftop, getting stoned, waiting for a phone call telling him that it was okay to kill a mother fucker now. And if she was hurt. If she got so much as a fucking paper cut while he was in the same room with her, Daryl would do it. He would take him out and he would happily put a bullet in his brain. He smiled at the thought and took another hit.

"Man, shit just got real."

He turned his head at the sound of the familiar voice. Damon sat down next to him, mirroring his position, pulling his knees up and then swiping the joint out of Daryl's hand and hitting it hard a few times before giving it back.

"I should kick your ass for takin' that girl home with you last night," he said with a scowl.

Damon laughed. "What's it to you?"

Daryl shrugged. "Hell if I know. Just don't fuck around with her if you plan on ditchin' her in a week."

"Hell, if I did last a week then it'd beat the hell out of your track record with chicks."

Daryl turned his head, studying the boy that didn't really look much like a boy anymore at all. He was taking after Buck. He was taller than Daryl and more muscled than Merle. By the time he quit growing he would be one scary looking guy. "My track record ain't none of your damn business."

"You ain't got shit to worry about anyway," Damon said after a long pause. "She's different." His expression grew serious and he wrapped his arms around his knees as he stared at the sky.

"Did you at least keep it in your pants?" Daryl asked, relieved that he seemed to be serious about Sophia anyway. Or as serious as any seventeen year old could be.

Damon glanced at him briefly before turning his eyes back to the quickly setting sun. "Yeah, man. It ain't like that. She ain't like that."

"What's it like then, Romeo?" Daryl asked, stretching his legs and crossing them at the ankles.

"She hadn't ever even kissed a guy before. I wouldn't have tried to get in her pants. Even if I'd had time and she'd been offering."

Daryl snorted. "You're more patient than me, kid." Understatement of the century.

They were quiet for a long time before Damon spoke again. "I heard about what you did. Talking to that Ed guy."

Daryl kept his mouth shut and waited the kid out. He could tell that there was something on his mind. He knew what that shit was like.

"You wouldn't have done that for just anybody. We all know that. Why'd you do it for her? You know that now all of us have to look at that asshole because of you. So why'd you do it?"

Daryl shook his head, not answering.

Damon sighed. "I don't even know why the fuck I asked. I know why you did it. You did it for the same reason I've been tryin' to figure out how to off the son of a bitch without my dad findin' out."

Daryl looked up sharply. "Don't you even think about doin' any shit like that. Your hands are clean, kid. Keep them that way as long as you can."

"What if he stops fuckin' with her mom but takes it out on Sophia? You think I can let shit like that happen?"

He studied the boy and then grinned despite the dark topic. "You little bastard. You got it just as bad as I do don't you?"

Damon blew out a breath. "I'm serious, man. What am I suppose to do to keep him from hurting her when he can't even know I know her? I ain't got the pull around here like you."

"I think he'll be on his best behavior and tomorrow I can add that stipulation. I didn't even think about that. You don't have to worry about it for long though. I'm gonna talk to her mom and try to get them the hell outta there. Don't know if she'll go for it since it ain't like I got shit to offer, but when Buck gets back I'm gonna man up and talk to him. Hell, that other house has been sittin' there empty for going on twenty goddamn years. Merle says I've been a pussy and this time he's right. I gotta do somethin'."

"You think Buck will think you're serious? You think he'd stick his neck out like that to help them out?"

Daryl shrugged. "I think he will if he knows the story. He's a sucker for shit like that. That and that mother fucker has been waiting for me to get my shit together for a long time now. Never thought some goddamn woman would be the push I needed. I always thought it'd be an extended prison sentence."

"Hopefully Carol goes for it then. I don't like thinkin' about them there with that dickhead."

"I feel ya, kid," Daryl sighed.

~H~

Carol was still in shock as she picked at her food. Ed had came home and she had braced herself for his wrath, ready to bolt if she needed too. Instead he had actually complimented dinner. The three of them were sitting there at the table, eating quietly. Well, Ed was eating. Carol's stomach was in knots and Sophia looked nervous.

"You do somethin' different with the rolls?" Ed asked, taking another one from the bowl.

Carol shook her head and glanced at Sophia. "No, they're the same as I always make."

He didn't say anything else. He just continued eating and then he did something that stunned Carol and Sophia both. He got up, went to the refrigerator and refilled his own glass. He glanced over his shoulder. "You two want anything while I'm up?"

They both shook their heads, staring at him with wide eyes. Daryl had told her that he wouldn't hurt her anymore. She hadn't believed him but he had made her a promise. Apparently one that he intended to keep. Ed came back and sat down to finish his meal. Sophia nervously excused herself, sharing a look with Carol. She still wanted her to keep her phone close and at this point the strange atmosphere in the house had her daughter nervous enough that she looked like she was ready to call Daryl now.

Once Sophia left the room Carol stood up to gather the rest of the dishes. Ed stood up with her and she flinched when he got up quickly, taking his glass from her. "I can help clear the table and then I think I'm gonna watch some T.V."

Carol nodded but didn't say a word. What in the world had Daryl said to this man? If he had started acting like a lot of years ago Carol would have been beyond happy. But that was when she still lived under the delusion that there was a chance for him to change. Now she didn't care what he did. She still planned on leaving him. She wasn't going to tell him that tonight, of course. One thing at a time. She wanted to save up her money and actually find somewhere to go before she dropped that bombshell.

She was dreading this conversation. She took her time with the dishes and the rest of the clean up. She didn't know how she was going to tell him. She ran different scenarios through her mind and every one she imagined she was left bloody and battered on the floor. But eventually the kitchen was spotless and she made her way to the living room.

She found him sitting in his chair, remote in hand. He glanced up when she walked in and perched on the edge of the sofa. She cleared her throat. "Ed, I need to talk to you about something." She watched his face carefully and saw the annoyance flash across his features. He quickly schooled his face, however, and then muted the television.

"I already know what you want to talk about. I should have brought it up earlier." He leaned up in his chair and turned a little so he was facing her more. "I never should have done what I did yesterday. There's no excuse for it, I already know that. I just want you to know that it'll never happen again."

She stared at him, speechless for a moment before she shook her head. "Actually that wasn't what I needed to talk to you about."

He frowned. "Well then what is it?"

"I think it's time for me to get a job. I know how you feel about it but I'm tired of just being here all the time. Sophia is older. She's got her own friends now. I know you don't want me to work but I'm ready to do something else other than be here all the time."

She watched him, that familiar anger filling his eyes and she could tell that he was struggling. Finally he cleared his throat and leaned back in the chair. "What kind of job you thinking about?"

She expected him to go on about how she had no skills. No college education. No job experience. He had mentioned things like that before and that was without her talking about working. "I'm not sure. I..." She couldn't handle this anymore. She couldn't pretend like this was normal behavior. "What is going on with you?"

He turned the volume back up and his eyes went back to the screen. "What are you talking about?"

"Ed, you're acting strangely. You aren't acting like yourself at all. What happened today?" She had every intention of asking Daryl. She was going to call him as soon as she was able and find out what in the hell he said to this man to make him turn into a completely different person. She had no doubts about Daryl. He was a very capable man. But this was insane.

"I just figure it's time to cut you some slack. I know I'm not the easiest man to live with and after what happened yesterday I thought I'd try to work on it a little bit."

"Ed," she snapped, feeling an unnecessary anger surge in her. "You've spent the last sixteen years treating me horribly, don't tell me that you've had a change of heart now."

He narrowed his eyes and then seemed to catch himself. He turned all of his attention back to the television and turned up the volume even more.


	21. Chapter 21

**I know that I haven't delivered a whole lot of Caryl in the last couple of chapters. I am sorry about that. I know you guys read Caryl stories for the Caryl but there's so much going on. I have to pace myself. Hope that is okay! Thanks for reading even if it gets frustrating! =)**

 **Chapter Twenty One**

Sophia was in the middle of her bed sitting Indian style, reading another chapter from her World History book just in case her teacher had assigned it today. She still couldn't believe she had cut school. What in the hell had she been thinking? She looked up curiously at the sound of steps outside her bedroom door. Her mother had came in to tell her goodnight at least an hour ago and she was the only person that ever came to her room.

The steps stopped outside her door and then her door was pushed open. She felt her eyes grow impossibly wide when Ed stepped in and shut the door behind him. He never came to her room. He barely spoke to her at all. He just looked at her with that look... the one that he was giving her now. A look that made her stomach swirl with nausea.

"I didn't wanna have this conversation in front of your mom cause there's no need to upset her, but we're having it now," he said in a low voice.

Sophia swallowed hard and reached behind her for her phone. Daryl's number was already there. All she had to do was hit send and it would call him. She was sure he was still up. "About what?" She asked, her fingers gripping the phone. She knew that wasn't true. Ed didn't care about upsetting anyone, least of all his own wife.

"About you running your skinny ass all over town. I won't be made a fool of by you girl. I won't have people talking about my daughter. It looks bad on me. You come home after school from now on, do you understand me?"

She nodded but didn't dare speak.

"And don't bother runnin' and tellin' her about this either. It won't do either one of you any good. I have to watch my ass when it comes to her but you're a different story. And you're gonna listen when I tell you to do something." He took a step closer, his eyes raking over her slowly and she nearly gagged. One more step and she was going to hit that button. If he touched her Daryl would hear it and she hoped that he felt the need to protect her as much as he did her mother. But Ed stopped. He still stared at her and she had to look away but he didn't come any closer.

She stared down at her bare feet, wishing she had put on a robe. She wasn't wearing anything but a pair of sleep shorts and a tank top. She stayed perfectly still until she heard the door shut. Then she let out a breath she wasn't aware she'd been holding. She bolted from the bed, phone still in hand, and locked the door. It wasn't a heavy duty lock but she felt a little safer knowing that there was something there. He wouldn't be able to come into her room without her hearing it.

She didn't fight the tears that sprang to her eyes. She bowed her head and wrapped her arms around herself tightly. She felt cold all over. She felt like she needed another shower. Why did he do that? Why did he look at her like that? A sob escaped her and she covered her mouth, not wanting her mother to hear her.

Her phone went off and it startled her so bad that she nearly threw it. She answered quickly before Ed heard it going off and came back. She didn't look at the name. "Hello?" She winced at the sound of her voice.

"Hey, what happened? Are you fucking crying?"

"Damon?" She said in a hushed tone. "No. I'm fine."

"Sophia," he snapped, causing her to flinch. "What happened?"

"It's nothing."

"It's somethin'. I'll be there in five minutes."

"What!" She gasped, looking at the clock. It was eleven. If he came here now, if he came here ever, Ed would be furious. "Damon, no. You can't come over here."

"Your rooms right above the front porch, right?"

"Yes, but..." She stared at the phone in her hands. He had hung up. He was going to come over and Ed was going to end up beating her for it. She didn't know what was going on with him but he was taking it easy on her mom and lashing out at her. Her biggest fear, the thing that kept her up some nights wasn't the fear of him beating her, but of him doing something else. Something much worse than that.

She sat down on the edge of the bed and waited for the doorbell to ring. When it did the gates to her own private hell were going to open up. She put her head in her hands and cried even harder. She hated the tears. She hated Ed. She hated her life. She hoped her mom was right and they would be able to get away soon. If she had to deal with those disgusting looks from him for much longer she was going to lose her mind. He wasn't right in the head. He was sick. Very sick.

She sat her phone down on the bed and slid to the floor, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them tightly, making herself as small as possible. The hardwood floor only made her feel colder but she was pretty sure it wouldn't matter where she sat. There was no warmth in this house. She felt like her very marrow was made of ice.

A sound had her jerking her head up, fear causing her heart to leap. But the sound wasn't coming from the bedroom door. It was coming from the window. She scrambled up, too shocked to form any words when a large booted foot slipped inside her room and then Damon slid in, his dark eyes landing on her before darting around the room.

"You okay?" He asked, not even trying to keep his voice down. She wiped at her face as she hurried over to him.

"I'm fine. You have to go. Right now!" She whispered but he didn't budge when she tried to push him back towards the window.

"The fuck I am. What did he do to you?"

"Please be quiet," she hissed frantically, glancing at the door.

He looked down at her and his face looked like it was carved out of stone. His dark brown eyes had never looked so hard before, like they were chiseled from blocks of black ice. "Did he do something to you? And don't you fucking lie and tell me that you're fine."

She shook her head. "He just came in here giving me crap about going out. That's it. I got upset. Please, Damon, you have to get out of here."

Instead of leaving he stared at her, unmoving. "You're shaking. If all he did was give you shit for going out then why the fuck do you look ready to jump outta your skin?"

How could she explain something like that to him? Was she really going to tell him that Ed looked at her funny? That sounded stupid even to her own ears. "I... I never know what he's gonna do. I think that the only reason he hasn't done something to me is because... I think he knows how sick it is. I think he..."

"Get in bed," he said, his voice shaking with anger.

She nodded. "Okay. I locked the door so I'll be fine. I'll see you at school." A part of her was relieved but another part of her didn't want him to go.

"Oh, he better hope that fuckin' lock keeps him out," he growled, stripping off the jacket and tossing it over the bed post.

"What?" She gasped.

"You think I'm gonna leave you here? After you tell me something like that? Fuck that. The only goddamn reason I don't go blow his brains out right now is because my fucking mom would kill me."

She watched as he reached behind him and then sat something down on the nightstand. She covered her mouth with her hand when she realized what it was. "Why do you have that?"

He glanced down at it and then, to her amazement, he stripped off his shirt and then toed his boots off. "That? That's nothin'."

"Damon, that's a gun!"

He looked at the gun and then he looked back at her. "Yeah. I can see that."

"Why do you have a gun?"

He shook his head and then pulled her blanket down. "You can stand there all night or you can get in bed. Makes no difference to me. Either way, I'm here and I ain't leavin' till he does."

She opened her mouth but no words came out. There wasn't any way she could force him to leave. She glanced one more time at her bedroom door and then back to him. He was standing there in a pair of jeans and his socks, his arms crossed over his chest. He was willing to stay all night to keep her safe if he needed too and she was stupid enough to argue with him. In her minds eye she pictured Ed's eyes raking over her and she shuddered. "You don't have to do this for me," she whispered as she made her way towards the bed, fresh tears forming.

His eyes softened as he took her in. "I know that. Lets just get some sleep, alright?"

She nodded and crawled into bed, waiting for him to climb in with her. It wasn't as big as his own bed and he was pretty big for his age so there wasn't much room. She didn't care though. He reached up and turned off the lamp and for a few seconds she laid there just staring at the ceiling.

"I need to know if he's ever-" He couldn't even finish the sentence.

She rolled over onto her side and he pulled her to him with such force she was nearly laying on top of him. She curled up into his side and shook her head. "He's never done anything. Not to me. It's just a feeling I get when he looks at me."

"You swear?"

"Yes."

"Have you told your mom about it?" His arm tightened around her and she rested her head on his chest and took comfort in the sound of his heart thumping hard and fast under her ear.

"No. I never told anybody about that. No one but Piper," she whispered.

He rolled over, keeping her close. "Go to sleep," he whispered.

She nodded, forcing her muscles to relax against him. It was easier than she thought it would be. The fear of Ed catching him with her wasn't as intense as the fear of Ed catching her alone. She fell asleep faster than she thought she would while his fingers raked lightly over her back.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty Two**

Carol felt more tired than she had in a while. Ed had left early, for which she was grateful. She hadn't called Daryl last night, afraid that if he saw her number he would think the worst and she didn't want that. It was strange though, that she was better equipped to deal with Ed's hateful intolerance than she was this strange pacifist version of him. She was itching to know what Daryl had done to cause this change in him.

She looked up as Sophia hurried into the kitchen, looking flustered. "Morning," she said hurriedly. "Is it okay if Damon comes over for br-" She glanced over her shoulder as the doorbell rang.

Carol wiped her hands on a dish towel and raised an eyebrow at her daughter. "Well, since he's probably already here I suppose yes. Damon can come over for breakfast. But had you had the decency to ask me before he got here, the answer would have been no. Not after what you did."

Sophia breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thanks, mom. I know it'll be weird because of the other night but he called and I knew Ed left early so I thought it would be okay." She rambled as she walked through the dining room, talking over her shoulder.

Carol took her own plate with Sophia's and sat them down. She hadn't really felt like eating anyway. Her nerves were pretty much shot. She looked up and was surprised at Damon's bedraggled appearance. The other time she had met him he had been pretty put together but right now he looked like he had just rolled out of bed. He was even rubbing his eyes, which made him look much younger than he normally looked.

"I usually wouldn't ask a teenager this but would you like some coffee, Damon?" She asked, raising a brow at him when he glanced at her and yawned.

He nodded and sat down. "Thanks. You ain't gotta feed me though," he said as he looked down at the plate of food.

"I don't mind," she smiled as she poured him a cup and sat it down.

"I wanted to talk to you about the other night," he said without touching his fork. "I want you to know that I didn't take her to my place so I could try anything. I didn't know what else to do since she was actin' an ass and refused to go to Piper's. I wasn't gonna bring her here. I just thought you should know that that ain't who I am, and you ain't the only one that wants to keep her safe." He kept his eyes on hers as he spoke and she couldn't help but be impressed with his honesty. Most boys wouldn't have brought it up unless she had brought it up.

She studied him, holding his level gaze for a long time before she offered him a small smile. "I'm glad you didn't bring her home But that doesn't mean that she's allowed to just spend the night with you. You should have called me. But I trust you if she trusts you." She was actually a little taken aback by the sincerity in his words.

He blinked and then the corner of his mouth lifted and Carol could see the family resemblance then. He did favor Daryl a little but it was subtle. "That's it?" He asked.

She nodded. "That's it. Now eat your breakfast." She glanced at Sophia but she was looking down at her plate, a frown between her eyes as she picked at her eggs. She always looked troubled. That was just her look but it seemed to be more than that right now. "Sophia?"

Sophia looked up.

"You okay?" Carol asked with a frown.

She nodded and looked back down without saying a word but she at least started eating.

"I need to go put in applications today and then do some grocery shopping. Anything you want me to pick up?"

Sophia shook her head. "Not that I can think of. Maybe I'll go after school and see if there's anywhere hiring."

"You should talk to my mom," Damon said quickly.

"Your mom?" Carol asked.

Damon nodded. "Yeah. She owns a bakery right outside of town. It's hers so all I gotta do is tell her your Daryl's woman and it'll be all set. We take care of our own."

Carol's face flushed and Sophia looked up with wide eyes. Carol could tell that the girl was fighting a smile.

"What?" Damon said around a mouth full of food. "Oh, come on. You know you are. He's all fuckin' in love and shit. Nobody knows what the hell to think about it. You got his head all messed up woman. You're his now. He's either super pissed off all the time or he gets this goofy ass grin on his face and zones out. It's crazy. Crazy cause it's him and he's usually just an impulsive wound up unpredictable dude. I mean, he pulls some crazy shit but since you came around he's different. In a good way I mean. He's acting like a grown up."

"Damon, I think your mistaken. He's a great man but we barely know each other," Carol said quickly, feeling her stomach do several somersaults at the boy's words.

He shook his head. "No, I'm not. I'm not mistaken at all and I think you know it."

~H~

Daryl was gonna punch Merle right in the dick. Why the hell did he make him do shit like this? The fucking grocery store? Like he was some bitch. He slammed the truck and strolled in, not caring about all the eyes on him. In a town this small he drew a lot of attention. He didn't care. They could stare all they wanted. At least it was still early and the place wasn't packed or anything.

He pushed the buggy down the spice isle, scanning the shelves closely for something Piper had asked him to pick up but he had already forgotten what it was called. He was hoping that if he saw the name on one of the labels it would jar his memory. So far it wasn't working and then he saw something that had him squinting.

He grabbed a glass jar full of dried ginger and peered at it closely. "This shit could pass for shitty crack easy," he muttered out loud before putting it back. He glanced up and saw a woman standing a few feet away staring at him with wide eyes. Had he said that out loud? Oh well. He went to walk past her but her hand shot out, gripping his arm.

"Daryl Dixon?" She smiled.

He nodded, frowning at the hand that was still on his arm. She didn't take the hint because she was still gripping him.

"Come on. You don't remember me?"

His eyebrows shot up and he tried to place her but he couldn't. She was probably his age, dark hair, blue eyes. She wasn't a dog but she wasn't someone that would turn his head.

"I was at the garage with my cousin a few years ago. Me and you had a pretty good time. I'm Kelly."

He shrugged. "Must not have been that good of a time cause I have no idea who the hell you are," he said gruffly.

Her mouth dropped open like she was surprised at this bit of news but at least she dropped her hand. Her eyes narrowed and she looked like she was about to say something but someone else that was standing a few feet away caught his eye.

"Carol?"

"I said my name is Kelly," The girl snapped.

Daryl glanced down and scowled at the girl before he looked back up. Carol looked as pissed as this girl did. He stepped away from this Kelly person that he supposedly knew. Carol looked at the other woman and then looked up at him.

"Hello, Daryl," she said, not looking as happy to see him as he was to see her.

"Are you serious right now?" Kelly shot, hands on her hips.

Daryl glanced back, frowning. "What the hell? Okay, so me and you met years ago. What the hell is your problem? You want a party? Should I bake you a cake? Goddamn!"

She glared.

"Do you need a minute?" Carol asked, watching him with a cool look in her eyes.

"Hell no," he grumbled, grabbing her arm and pulling her away from the idiot that thought she knew him. "How'd last night go?" He asked once he had her around the corner at the very back of the store.

She searched his eyes for a minute before answering. "It was strangely peaceful," she finally said.

He nodded. "See. I told you I'd handle it."

"What did you do?" She asked. "I mean, I'm glad that he's not acting like the old Ed but I need to know what you said to him."

"Nothin' about us," he muttered. Just thinking about the way Ed being so willing to give her away had him getting pissed off all over again. He didn't want to tell her that part. He didn't want to tell her that she could mean so little to someone that they would just hand her off like a piece of furniture.

"Do you care to elaborate?" She asked, raising one perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

He shook his head. "Ain't it enough that you ain't gotta deal with his shit anymore?"

"No. It isn't. I want to know what you said to him that could possibly have him treating me so much better than he ever had before."

He ran a hand through his hair. He didn't want to do this here. He glanced around but there were several people scanning the meats just a few feet away from them. "Can we talk somewhere else?"

She shook her head. "I want to know now."

He blew out a breath and grabbed her hand. "Fine," he muttered, leading her down a hall where the bathrooms were. He passed the bathrooms, went directly into the store room and then veered off when he saw the sign he had been looking for. He pulled her towards it and didn't let go of her until he shut the door behind him. They were in a janitors closet and she was looking at him like he was crazy.

"What are we doing here?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'll tell you what I told him, alright."

She nodded. "Okay. But you could have told me that out there. You didn't have to hide me in a closet."

"I didn't think you would want to do this out there," he said, watching her. She still looked a little pissed and he had no idea what that was about.

"Do what?" She asked, still giving him that look.

He wasted no time. He gripped the sides of her face and pulled her closer kissing her quickly. It had been days. That kiss yesterday outside the school hadn't been enough. There had been too many people around and he hadn't had a chance to have that chat with Ed. He'd wanted more then and he wanted more now. She tried to pull back but he just followed until she gave up with a laugh. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she kissed him harder. He hadn't realized exactly how much he had missed kissing her until now.

"I missed this," she muttered against his lips.

"Yeah. Me too," he managed, his hands snaking under her shirt so he could feel her skin. He lifted the shirt, expecting her to push his hand away, and was surprised when she moved her arms from his neck so he could get it over her head. "You're really gonna let me do this here?" He asked, unable to mask the disbelief in his voice.

She shoved his vest off his shoulders. "I think I'd let you do this anywhere you wanted. I missed this. I missed you."

He stripped off his shirt and backed her further into the wall. "You have no fuckin' idea."

She laughed. "You have women, Daryl. I'm not stupid."

"You must be stupid, cause I ain't got shit. Just you." He bit down on her throat softly, reveling in the whimper that escaped her.

"That's probably what you tell all the women," she breathed.

He pulled away enough so he could meet her eyes. "You really believe that?" He didn't know why this bothered him so bad.

She smiled. "I was kidding. I think. I don't know."

He kissed her again, just because he couldn't stop kissing her and then moved down her jaw. "You're wrong. I don't make it a habit of leadin' people on. Ain't got time for people hangin' around."

She mumbled something but it was lost. He hurriedly started working her jeans down her hips and she stepped out of them quickly. There was a low counter filled with cleaning products and he cleared it in one sweep of his arm, lifting her easily while her hands were busy jerking him from the confines of his pants.

It had only been a few days but fuck if it didn't feel like it had been months. He didn't hesitate once he had her positioned with one leg wrapped around him and the other pushed up over his shoulder. He pulled her body forward, thrusting hard until he was seated in her fully. His breath rushed out of him as she cried out and he had no choice but to still himself for a second, just because he couldn't stand to pull away just yet. He'd been itching to get back inside her since he left her house that night and it felt just as good as he knew it would.

She blinked, her eyes huge and unfocused as her hand snaked around the back of his neck, pulling his face to hers. Her leg slipped off his shoulder and then they both locked around his waist. Her teeth tugged at his bottom lip, eliciting a growl from deep in his chest. This time wasn't going to be like the time in her room. He set a pace that had her clinging to him desperately, her eyes rolling back in her head. He had taken his time the night in her bed because he had been certain that it was the last time he would be with her. He wanted it to last. Now he was racing towards a goal. He wanted to make her fucking scream. There wasn't anything very loving about the way he was handling her now but he could see that frantic burn in her eyes as he took her.

He slipped one hand between them, his fingers playing over her skillfully, like he knew she liked it. She pulled his face down again when her muscles coiled around him, squeezing him hard as wet heat enveloped him. He drank down her cries but it was still loud in the small space and anyone on the other side of the door would know without a doubt that somebody was definitely getting fucked pretty hard. One more thrust and he was joining her, her orgasm milking his from him like her body knew just the right way to squeeze his to make it as intense as it could be. He barely had to move at all as he poured into her, a steady growl rumbling through his chest.

He was breathing heavily into her neck, as her body trembled with aftershocks. "If I knew that grocery shopping would turn out this good I wouldn't have bitched so bad about coming," he muttered, lifting her off the counter and setting her on her feet. He handed her her shirt as he fixed his pants.

"I like grocery shopping," she grinned as she shimmied her jeans up her thighs.

"Cause you're crazy," he grinned back and kissed her hard.

"As much as I hate to change the subject, I need to know what you said to Ed that has him acting so strange?" She said, her smile fading.

He sighed. "The truth."

She put her hands on her hips and tried to glare at him but she didn't look very intimidating. "And exactly what was that?"

With a shrug he met her eyes. "That you're mine. And he ain't to put his fucking hands on what's mine."

Her eyes grew huge as she stared at him. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the janitors closet.

 **I wanted to make it a point to show exactly how Daryl was when it came to women before Carol came along. That was important to me for some reason. So, he was pretty much a dickhead. But he's better now. lol**


	23. Chapter 23

**So a little something happens in this chapter that some of you have been wanting to happen for a while. Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Twenty Three**

Sophia did what she did best. She ignored the other kids. Their stares. Their whispers. Their quiet laughter. None of it mattered today. She had ridden to school with Damon, who had parked his car just a half a block away from her house the night before. They had almost been late. No one saw them come in together.

Lunch was a different story though. It was another nice day so most of them were eating outside at the picnic tables scattered about the grounds. As she made her way past the table where Sara and her friends were sitting she saw the glint in the dark haired girl's eyes. Before the girl could say anything, however, there was a heavy arm suddenly draped over Sophia's shoulders. She glanced over and saw Sara's eyes widen and then she looked away quickly.

"You did that on purpose," Sophia smiled without even looking over at him.

He sat down at the same table they had occupied the first day that Piper had talked to her. That felt like a hundred years ago.

Piper and the other two boys were walking towards them, grinning. Piper looked odd walking between the two boys. Neither of them were quite as tall as Damon but Piper was barely five feet tall with her boots on so they towered over her. It didn't seem to matter. She was a huge presence.

"Square," she nodded and sat down next to Sophia. "What's with ditching me the other night, dick?"

Sophia shrugged. "Sorry about that. It was just a rough night."

Piper shot Damon a look. "A rough night?" She cocked a fiery eyebrow at him. "I told you to be gentle you fucking ogre."

Damon and the other guys laughed but Sophia turned three shades of red. "Jesus, that didn't happen."

Piper sighed. "I figured as much. How's your bitch dad treating your mom now? You wouldn't fucking believe the shit Daryl was saying to him. Then I was pretty sure he was gonna kill him so I had to intervene. I'd give you details but you aren't worthy. I can't believe you two ditched school and didn't tell me."

"Wasn't really planned," Damon said, yawning loudly and shaking his head.

Sophia felt guilty that he was so tired. He had been awake when she woke that morning. When she asked if he had slept at all he had simply shrugged and said he'd slept off and on. It was her fault he was as exhausted as he was. She hadn't known that he had planned on staying awake all night long.

"Stop worryin' about it," he muttered without even looking her.

She scoffed. "Worried about what? You?"

He smiled and finally turned his head, bumping her shoulder with his. "I'll get some sleep sometime today."

"You should have slept last night," she muttered, glancing around to make sure that Piper and the others were in deep conversation themselves.

"Couldn't. You snore."

She gasped. "I do not!"

His smile widened. "Nah, you don't. But you do mumble and shit in this whiny voice. That kept me entertained. And your shorts were seriously short. That helped."

She shook her head, knowing he was just trying to make her feel better about being the reason he was so tired. After she had fallen asleep she had slept so hard that she hadn't even dreamed. She started picking at the weathered wood of the table, avoiding his eyes. She wanted to ask him if he'd stay again, but she wouldn't. She would just keep her door locked. She should have done that to begin with. If Ed tried to come in she just wouldn't let him.

She glanced over and felt even more guilty when she saw that he had crossed his arms on the table and laid his head down, his eyes closed. He hadn't even bothered brushing his hair before he climbed out her window this morning so he'd put a knitted hat on in the car to hide his obvious bedhead and now it was pulled low over his eyes.

"What's with Damon?" Piper asked, eying him worriedly.

Sophia glanced up. "He didn't get much sleep. I don't think he got any sleep at all actually."

Piper's eyes were wide. "How would you know?"

Sophia sighed. "I'll tell you about it later."

Piper nodded but the look she gave her told Sophia that later meant as soon as they had a moment alone. Sophia hated waking him up but he'd just smiled sleepily, squinting at her from under his cap, causing her to laugh. The rest of the day flew by. She had covered for him, doing both of their assignments in both classes that he was in with her while he slobbered on his desk as he slept through them.

He seemed much more alert by the time school was over and he grabbed her hand on their way out the door. "We still job hunting?" He asked, lacing his fingers through hers. Her mom already knew that she was going with him after school, regardless of what Ed had said.

"You sure you don't just want to go home and sleep?" His black tee shirt was still rumpled where it had lain on the floor all night.

He shook his head and pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head. "Hell no. I want you and your mom the fuck outta that house. If you're both bringin' in money then that'll happen faster. You're ass is getting a job today."

She smiled. "I hope so. I can't-" Her voice trailed off and she nearly stumbled. Ed was standing there, not even twenty feet away, his arms crossed over his chest and he had seen them because he was glaring so hard she was surprised that she didn't bleed from the daggers that look was throwing at her.

Damon either hadn't seen him or didn't know what he looked like because he just pulled her along by the hand towards his car... and towards Ed.

Ed pushed away from his car and stormed towards them. Damon saw him then and stopped walking. They were on the sidewalk now. So close to his car that if they hurried they could actually get in before Ed made it to them.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Ed barked loudly, drawing the attention of several people. Sophia saw Daryl's truck just then and felt a measure of relief. That relief didn't last long however. She saw him getting out. Saw him lean his back against the front of the truck and cross his feet at the ankles. And then he just watched as Ed approached them.

Damon didn't look intimidated as he sized Ed up and she realized why once Ed finally stopped a few feet away from them. Damon was a few inches taller and much better built than Ed.

"I was going to put in some job applications today. I talked to mom about-"

Ed took a small step towards her and Damon dropped her hand. "I don't give a shit what your mom said. You know what I said. Get your ass in the car, girl. You aren't gonna embarrass me."

"I... I'm not going home with you," she said, shaking her head quickly.

Ed's eyes burned a hole through her and she wanted to run. Behind Ed, a few cars away, Daryl was there, Piper standing in front of him now with his arms draped over her shoulders. Both of them were simply watching calmly. "You think I'm gonna just let you run off like some little whore?"

"Watch your fuckin' mouth," Damon finally snapped. "You say another word to her and..."

Ed sneered. "What? What in the hell are you gonna do to me, boy? You have no idea who the hell I am do you? The connections I've got?"

Sophia frantically glanced between them. "Damon, let's go," she almost begged.

Damon didn't look like he even heard her. He looked more dangerous now than he had last night when he had climbed through her window. "Old man, you picked the wrong one. You need to get back in your car and get the hell outta here. She ain't goin' no where with you." Damon glanced down at her. "Sophia, go wait in my car."

"You little son of a bitch. She's my goddamn daughter, not your slut, and she's comin' with me. Now!" Ed hissed. That was when he made his move. He reached out, grabbing Sophia by the arm like he had done her mother a hundred times and yanked her towards him.

She yanked her arm away and as soon as she stumbled out of the line of fire Damon was on Ed. When his fist crashed into Ed's jaw she heard a sickening crunch and she found herself praying that it was Ed's jaw breaking and not Damon's knuckles. She covered her mouth with her hand and watched on in morbid fascination.

Ed stumbled backwards, yelping in pain and that was when Damon slammed his boot into Ed's knee, causing him to fall gracelessly. Before Ed could hit the ground Damon had him by the shirt, hauling him back up and hitting him again, splitting his lips and sending blood flying. He leaned into Ed's face, speaking low. "You ever touch her again and I swear I'll tear your goddamn throat out with my teeth you sick fuck," he spat. He drew back to hit him again but a piercing whistle had him faltering. He looked up just as Sophia did and to her surprise Daryl shook his head.

Damon hesitated for a moment but Daryl raised his brows and then Damon let go, stepping away from Ed. Daryl opened the door of the truck and climbed in, nodding once at Damon. As soon as Piper was in the truck he pulled out but he was speaking into his phone and didn't even glance back.

"You're gonna pay for that you little bastard," Ed yelled but the words sounded jumbled, the threat lost as blood trailed down his chin.

"You okay?" Damon asked once he finally turned towards her.

She felt her hands shaking but she nodded, looking down at Ed one last time before looking at him. Damon was watching her carefully and she couldn't help but feel like this was some sort of test for them already. How could she get in the car with someone that had just unleashed that much violence on another person? But when she met his eyes all she saw was concern there. He hadn't done what he did because he was a bad person. Not like Ed. He had done it because even though he hardly knew her, he was willing to do almost anything for her. "I'm okay. Let's just go."

He kept his gaze steady on hers. "You sure?"

He thought she wouldn't want to go with him now. As Ed pulled himself off the sidewalk Sophia reached up and touched the side of Damon's face, offering him a small smile. She nodded and grabbed his hand, the one that wasn't marred with Ed's blood, and walked with him to the car. She flinched when Ed bellowed her name but other than that she didn't acknowledge him.

 **I know that so far Daryl has been sort of on the sidelines when it comes to Sophia. That isn't why he didn't intervene in this chapter. There's a certain respect that these men have to show one another and this wasn't his fight. It was Damon's fight. You'll understand more the deeper we get into the story but I didn't want any of you to think that he just don't care about her. It simply wasn't his place to step in. Anyway, hope you liked this chapter! Thanks again for reading!**


	24. Chapter 24

**I'm not excited about posting this chapter. I guess that's why I haven't posted it sooner. Just keep in mind that this story was just something I wrote for myself. It's already done. Whether you like where it's going or not, there isn't any way for me to change anything at all. I'm sure I'll get some please do or please don't messages but they won't effect the outcome of this story because it's already done.**

 **I hope all of you have had a better week than I have! Thanks, as always, for reading =)**

 **Chapter Twenty Four**

Damon had given Carol his mother's cell number and Carol already couldn't wait to meet the woman. She was expecting someone gruff and distant, only willing to do a favor for Carol because of Daryl. She should have been ashamed of herself for making assumptions because when she finally reached the woman, June, she had been soft spoken, bubbly and apparently thrilled to meet Carol as soon as she got back. She'd mentioned that she had already heard all about her, which was embarrassing because her behavior as of late was a little questionable to say the least. But she had thanked the woman profusely for giving her the opportunity to work for her. June insisted that she wouldn't be working for her but with her, stating that family took care of family. It had shocked Carol but she didn't argue. It wouldn't do her any good to tell June that having an affair with a club member didn't really make them family.

She was starting to wonder if an affair was all this was. It didn't feel like an affair. As stupid as it seemed she was pretty certain that she was falling in love with Daryl Dixon. He was too young for her. He was too wild for her. She barely knew him and yet, despite all of those things, she couldn't stay away from him. She craved his voice and his touch and just his presence. She felt alive when she was with him and empty inside when she wasn't. That didn't constitute an affair. An affair was something cheap and dirty.

Well, sometimes their sex life actually was cheap and dirty, but that one time, it had been something else and no matter what, that one time had changed things between them. She jumped when the phone rang, causing her to spill ice water all over her hand. She was glad it wasn't coffee.

"Hello?"

"Mrs. Peletier?"

"This is she," Carol said, frowning.

"This is Vanessa Stokes, Dr. Browning's secretary. We've been trying to contact you but apparently your number has been changed and the other receptionist had misplaced the new one."

"Oh, yes. We've moved and the home phone has been changed but the cell is still the same." There was a brief pause on the other end that had Carol feeling nervous. "Is there something wrong?"

"Well, no, not exactly Mrs. Peletier. It's just that, when the receptionist called your old number to schedule an appointment and realized that the phone was out of service, she never called your cell. You're three weeks late for your Depo-Provera shot."

Carol's hand froze around the phone as panic clawed up her throat. "I see. I... What can I do about that now?"

"Well, you can come in and get the shot but we do have to administer a pregnancy test to insure that you haven't gotten pregnant in the weeks following your missed shot."

"I... What are the chances of that? Of getting pregnant I mean," she asked almost breathlessly.

"Well, have you had unprotected sex at all since your missed shot?"

"I..." She had had a lot of unprotected sex since missing the shot. How could she have forgotten about that? Not that she had been sexually active with Ed but it was still something she was pretty obsessive about. She loved Sophia but she would never have another child with Ed so she had been on the shot for a long time. It was easier than the pill and more convenient than condoms and...

"Mrs. Peletier, when was the last time you had unprotected sex?"

"Today," Carol said honestly, to stunned to even feel embarrassed. She had slept with Daryl on Friday night. Actually they had slept together twice that night. And then Saturday morning in the shower. And then Saturday night at her house and then today at the grocery store. That was five times. Five times in as many days. And the whole time she had been susceptible to getting pregnant.

"Would you like to come in next Wednesday for a blood test, Mrs, Peletier? If you've conceived today then a week will give us time for your HCG levels to show up. If you haven't conceived then we can give you the shot and get you back on track. We're terribly sorry for the inconvenience."

"Yes. Wednesday is fine," Carol said, dazed. She wrote down the time and date on a sticky note and then shoved it into her purse. When she hung up she stood there, leaning against the counter, staring off into space. How could she have been so incredibly stupid? How could she have not remembered that she hadn't had a shot? Sure, the stress of moving and dealing with Ed had played a role but it was her responsibility to take care of herself.

She suddenly felt exhausted. Beyond exhausted, really. She would go lie down for a while and then when she woke up she would feel better. What were the odds of her getting pregnant anyway? Surely this was nothing but a scare. Just a slap to wake her up and get her head out of the clouds. Before she could even walk out of the kitchen the phone rang again.

"Hello?" She said automatically. She sounded like a robot.

"What's wrong?"

"Daryl?"

"Yeah, who the hell else would be callin'? You alright? You sound weird."

"No, I'm fine. Everything's fine. Did you need something?" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Just wanted to give you a heads up. Ed showed up at the high school today. He saw Sophia with Damon and it didn't end very well."

This snapped Carol out of her stupor. "What!" She gasped. "Did he hurt her?"

"No. I watched the whole thing. He was yellin' at her. Made a few threats. He grabbed her when she wouldn't get in the car with him and Damon lost it. Ed's gonna come home with a busted up face and limp for sure."

"He beat up Ed?" Carol felt her eyes widen. "Why would Ed go to the school?"

"No clue."

"Is Damon in trouble?"

"No. I was there and called a friend of mine that works at the police station. He can work it out. Besides that, there were a lot of people there that saw him put his hands on her. With Ed's record holding domestic abuse charges, that shit wouldn't stick on the boy."

She contemplated telling him about what she just found out but the thought of that had her insides freezing up. She couldn't tell him something like that. She also needed to avoid him for the next few days, which was going to be excruciating now that he had decided that he wanted them to keep seeing each other. But he would likely get suspicious if all of a sudden she brought up condoms any time they were together.

"You still there?" He asked suddenly.

"Yeah, I'm here."

"You sure everything's all right over there?"

"Yes. Everything's fine. I swear. I'm just tired I guess."

He chuckled. "Why? I'm the one that did all the work."

She laughed despite herself. "Well, maybe when I get more time I'll return the favor."

"Hey, I'm free all day. Just name the time and place."

"I'll keep that in mind. Bye, Daryl," she laughed, weary of the strange calm that was starting to take over. Maybe she was in shock.

He sighed. "Bye, Carol."

~H~

Sophia demanded him take her to his house. She was going to check out his hand whether he wanted her to or not. Now she was kneeling in front of him as he sat on the couch, his hand in hers as she studied his swollen knuckles. "I can't believe you did that," she muttered, wiping the blood away gently.

She could feel his eyes on her. She looked up and he was watching her with a curious look on his face. "Why can't you believe I did that?"

She shrugged. "I can't believe a lot of things."

"Like?"

Once she was satisfied that he hadn't broken any bones on Ed's face she went to stand but he grabbed her quickly, pulling her down in his lap and holding her still with his hands on her hips. She didn't think she would ever get used to being so close to another person. "Like, I can't believe that you carry a gun."

"Only outside of school," he muttered, watching her eyes.

"Why?"

He shrugged and brought his hands up and around so they rested at the small of her back. "Sometimes my dad has to deal with some shady people. Sometimes the things they gotta do pisses those shady people off. What better way to get back at somebody than go after the people they love the most? It happened a long time ago and it about took down the whole club. So I make sure if somebody ever comes after me, I'm able to fight back."

"Have you ever used it?"

"On a person? Not yet."

She nodded, unsure how she felt about that. It was odd that she wasn't instantly repulsed by the fact that he was so nonchalant about shooting a person but then again, if that would keep him alive, she didn't really care. This thought scared her. "And I can't believe that you'd stay with me all night and not sleep at all just to make sure I was okay."

"What's so unbelievable about that?"

"You don't look like the type of guy that would do something like that," she said with a smile.

"Oh? Well, you don't look like the type of girl that'd spend the night with me, skip school and then just let me crawl in her bed. Guess we shouldn't judge." He grinned.

She shook her head and tried to crawl off of him but he didn't let her. Since he wasn't letting her move, and she didn't particularly want to, and she had had a rough couple of days she did something that surprised them both. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him. She kissed him like he had kissed her that first time. It took him by surprise but he wasted no time. He started kissing her back, pulling her even tighter against him.

She yanked the hat off his head so she could run her fingers through his hair. She never thought much about the appeal of long hair on a boy before but she understood it now. She was nervous the first time she had kissed him so she hadn't let herself enjoy it as much as she was now. Now she knew a little more about what to expect and she found that she liked it. She liked it a lot more than she ever thought she would.

She was using this as a distraction from everything that had been going on. She was letting her mind focus on nothing but him instead of focusing on anything else and it felt incredible. And why not lose herself in the moment? She had never let go before. Never found anything that could distract her from her life. Until now. And that changed a lot of things. The kiss became more frantic, desperate. She needed that escape more than she ever thought she would need anything in her life. When his lips moved from hers, down her jaw and then to her neck she gripped his hair tighter. An excited thrill shot up her spine at the feel of his teeth on her skin, causing a small sound to bubble up from her throat.

He froze, his hands halfway up her back under her shirt. "Why'd you stop?" She breathed.

His eyes were pools of black, no iris left. "Time to stop," he said, his voice low and gravely.

She shook her head. "I don't want too." She kissed him again, forcefully.

"Yeah, I can see that," he said, pulling back again.

"And you do? I thought. Oh, I'm sorry." She was surprised and embarrassed. She was about to scramble off of him but suddenly his lips were on hers again and she found her back hitting the couch. He was on top of her, holding himself up with his arms so he didn't smash her. The kissing became frantic again. She didn't know where his shirt had gone but when her hands went to his chest all she felt was warm skin.

Things were getting out of hand and she knew it but she didn't want it to stop. Not at all. But like life had always taught her, all good things had to come to an end. She didn't even hear the front door open but the sun that streamed in bathed them like a spotlight. Damon launched himself off of her and she scrambled to the corner of the couch, readjusting her shirt.

The door closed and she found herself staring at a man that was staring right back at her. The man's appearance actually scared her. He was tall. Very tall, and very burly. His arms were crossed over his broad chest. His hair was long, much longer than Damon's and he had a full beard. He was wearing a black bandana and dark sunglasses with the usual leather vest that she was used to seeing now. His shirt was sleeveless, his huge arms covered in tattoos. The door opened again and another man strolled in, to her surprise, he was even bigger. Much bigger than the first but she could tell right away that they were brothers, even though the bigger one wasn't hiding behind glasses and his beard was just a trim goatee.

"Breath before you pass out, Darlin'," the one in the glasses said in a deep voice.

Sophia let out a breath, her eyes darting from one huge man to the other. She swallowed and finally glanced at the third person who had came in behind the men. She had to blink to make sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. It was a woman. A very petite woman, not Piper small but not as tall as Sophia. Her black hair was pulled back in a pony tail and her dark almond shaped eyes regarded Sophia curiously. She was one of those people that was impossible to gauge their age. She could have been twenty five or she could have been forty. It was impossible to guess. She was wearing a white and yellow sun dress and white flats on her feet.

"Damon," She said in a voice that could have belonged to a child. "Who's your friend?"

Damon sat back with a grin. "Sophia," he glanced at her and grinned. "Meet my parents."

"Oh my God," Sophia groaned.

"He's so rude," the woman said to glasses man. "I'm June and this is my husband, Odin. It's nice to meet you, dear."

"I... It's nice to meet you." She wanted to die.

"That bigger asshole is Buck. Daryl and Merle's dad." Damon sounded much too calm and collected for the situation.

So this was great. This was perfect. She hoped that the floor would open up and swallow her whole.


	25. Chapter 25

**So very glad that no one had a problem with how the last chapter played out! Thanks for all your kind words and I'm sorry that a lot of you were paranoid that something truly catastrophic was about to happen to them! This next chapter is has a filler feel. It does to me anyway. Lol Hope you like it anyway! Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Twenty Five**

Daryl leaned against the police cruiser, picking at a hang nail. Shane had wanted to meet him somewhere where no one would be watching. "You get it handled?"

Shane nodded. "Yeah. It wasn't too hard. He didn't try to press charges. I filed it away myself. The kid don't have anything to worry about."

"You talk to Martinez?" Daryl asked, knowing that the chief would do what he could to sweep it under the rug.

Shane nodded. "Yeah. A few of us are watching that Ed fella, just in case. What are you doing with this guy anyway? I knew you all were a bunch of neanderthals but I thought even you had standards," Shane said with an easy smirk.

Daryl chuckled. "Yeah well, he's a special case."

"Care to elaborate?"

Daryl just shook his head. "No time. The old man is back in town and I'm about to dump all this in his lap. He's gonna wring my neck. Just remember, if I turn up missin' tonight, it was the Mexicans and not my pissed off dad."

Shane laughed. "Yeah, and I'll start dropping those hints around the station tomorrow. If something happens to this guy, fingers will point somewhere else."

"Oh, somethin' is gonna happen to the guy. There's just a few things we need from him first." Daryl shook his hand and walked away but Shane stopped him, calling him back. Daryl waited for him to speak but Shane just ran a hand through his hair and looked at him, trying to hold back a grin.

"What, asshole? I got shit to do," Daryl barked.

"Tell me one thing and you can go."

Daryl gestured for him to hurry the hell up so he could get the hell back to the garage.

"I've been tryin' to figure it out but I can't. This has nothing to do with anything illegal, does it? This is all over a woman."

Daryl snorted and turned around. ""Fuck you, Walsh," he called over his shoulder.

He jumped on the bike and sped out of the parking lot, throwing gravel in Shane's direction just for kicks. He was looking forward to seeing his dad. It had been two weeks since he left and a lot of shit had happened since then. He was sure that Merle would tell the old man everything because Merle couldn't keep his mouth shut about a damn thing. And he'd have everything blown out of proportion by the time Daryl could get there and explain things right. But he'd needed to meet with Shane to make sure that everything was set in case anything came back on Damon. He was kind of the kids role model, being younger than most of the men. If Daryl let the boy get himself into trouble just for doing something he was expected to do then that would make Daryl a real piece of shit.

Not only that but things needed to be set up for Ed Peletier's untimely demise. He didn't know what it was but he had a feeling that he would have to kill the man eventually. He didn't have a problem with that. He had a problem with getting his ass arrested for murder.

That was the other reason that he needed to talk to Shane. Reasons that had a lot to do with Ed but not Damon. He needed a trail. He needed the word to go around that the man was trouble. Cops listened to cops. One of the good things about knowing someone personally in the bacon trade. Pigs stuck together. Even if a few of them smelled a little like gasolene. Like Walsh and Martinez.

He pulled around to the back of the garage and wasn't surprised to see twenty more bikes than usual and black clad men meandering about in the sun. He smiled to himself, somehow taking comfort in all those intimidating faces. This was family. If Carol and Sophia had this crowd at their backs then getting away from Ed for good wasn't going to be as hard as she thought. And he believed she really did want out. She'd talked to June about a job. She'd made it clear that she wasn't in the marriage because she thought there was a chance of salvaging it at all.

And, to his own surprise, he was ready. He didn't want to just drag her off to random places to fuck her. Not that he didn't enjoy the hell out of it. But it was more than that, even if this thought freaked him the fuck out. For the first time in his life he wanted what June and Odin had. He wanted what his own old man had had with his mama before she was killed. He had never wanted that before because he'd never imagined he would find anyone that he would feel that way about. He had never wanted to feel that way. He knew himself well enough to know that the chances of him finding that were slim. Very slim. So he had never pursued it. Turned out, he hadn't had to. It all just kind of fell in his lap.

Buck had always told him that love wasn't what other people made it out to be. It wasn't something you had to work towards. It wasn't something that you eventually got after spending enough time with someone. It wasn't candy and flowers. It wasn't roses and hearts and pink fucking ponies. It wasn't something you had to strive for. Love was like a fucking snake in the grass, slick and dangerous. It came out of nowhere when you least expected it and it sank it's teeth right into your heart. It fucking hurt and it was confusing and it made a man do things he'd never thought he would do before. Love would rip you apart piece by piece and you would feel every rip. Live through every slow tear. And then it would put you back together but you wouldn't ever be the same again. And when that bastard bit you, you stopped. It all stopped. The world shifted. Everything you'd been would be seared away and then once you got used to the chaos of it, the only thing in the world that would matter was the woman that caused it all.

Needless to say, Daryl had never wanted anything to do with any shit like that but after Buck had told him that he had had a new respect for the man. He had fiercely loved Daryl's mama and losing her had almost killed him. Hell it had nearly killed them all. The only thing that saved him at all was Merle and Daryl, because they were the only thing he had left of her.

So, even though Daryl had never wanted anything to do with that mother fucking mess, he was already neck deep in it and it was stupid to pretend like he wasn't. At twenty seven he had convinced himself that he wouldn't have to go through it. He'd be able to just be him until somebody killed him. And then Friday happened. And goddamn had he tried to fight it. He'd tried to ignore it. He pretended like that venom wasn't running deep. But there was no use in trying anymore.

He parked his bike next to his brother's and climbed off. It wasn't hard to tell where Buck was in the crowd. He stood taller than all of them, an imposing figure. Daryl heard the truck pull up behind him but he didn't turn around. He was about halfway to Buck when a streak of red hair shot past him and he grinned.

Piper must have gotten news that Buck was back. Daryl may have been the man's baby boy but Piper was his whole fucking heart. She was a little shit compared to most, due to all the bullshit she had survived as a baby, but next to Buck she looked even tinier. Her head came up to about the man's elbow. When he spotted her his face softened and he grinned. Catching her right before she managed to slam into him and lifting her like she weighed nothing. She wrapped around him like a vine. She was a tough kid. Tougher than any he had ever seen. But that didn't matter to Buck. She would always be a little girl. One that never did any wrong.

When she'd been in kindergarten she had gotten pissed off and actually called her teacher a cock sucker. The man had been furious, reprimanding her in front of all of the other kids and not letting her participate in anything for the rest of the day. When Buck had picked her up and she had tearfully told him what had happened Buck had stormed right into the school, scaring the teacher so bad Daryl was sure the guy had pissed himself a little. No matter what, to Buck, Piper did no wrong. And it was obvious that her time locked away from her family had taken it's toll her her. Or her time locked away from her grandad anyway.

Buck finally set her down, his lips lingering on the top of her head for a long time before she finally stepped away. When he saw Daryl he smiled even bigger. For a bunch of hardened men, this group here had one hell of a soft spot for family. Daryl wasn't as enthusiastic as Piper had been but he was damn glad that his old man was home. Buck pulled him into a hug, squeezing him so hard that he thought his back was going to snap but he didn't complain.

"From what I hear you got a lot to report, baby boy," Buck said, meeting his eyes.

Daryl nodded. "Need to get a few guys together if we can. Think it's bout time to get somebody back in the old house."

The old house was the one that Buck had bought right after he married Merle and Daryl's mom. When she had died, when Daryl was nine, Buck couldn't live in it anymore. He also couldn't get rid of it, since she had loved it so much. Buck had offered it to Merle but Merle had turned it down, opting to live in the newer house with Buck rather than try to raise Piper completely alone. So the house still stood, empty. It'd take a while to get it ready and he wouldn't say anything to anyone just yet, but it was time.

"Never thought I'd see the day you got bit," Buck muttered.

Daryl snorted. "Yeah, you and me both."


	26. Chapter 26

**It's been a busy day and it's only getting busier so I wanted to get this out there while I had a minute to spare! Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Twenty Six**

Ed texted and told her that he had a lot to do at the dealership because of a mix up with some sort of parts and wouldn't be home until after nine. She was positively sure that he was just going to avoid a confrontation with Sophia. Daryl had told her everything he had said to Ed when he had met with him and she was appalled by what Ed had actually agreed to. It wasn't like he knew that she was already sleeping with Daryl. He was willing to hand his wife over to a group of men to do God only knew what to her.

Sophia had called her earlier and told her everything that had happened at school. She was at the garage with Damon and there was some sort of gathering there since Buck was back. Damon couldn't bring her home and for some reason the boy refused to let her walk the mile and half alone. She thought it was kind of sweet but she really didn't know if she could keep herself composed once she saw Daryl and she knew he was there.

She wanted to see him. She always wanted to see him. He was the only thing she ever thought about anymore. Well, it was until that damn phone call earlier. Now she couldn't help but think that there could be a tiny biker growing inside her. She sighed heavily. She didn't see the point in driving to the garage since it was such a nice day out and she was really looking forward to the walk back with Sophia. So much had happened in such a short time that she felt like they were drifting further apart and she didn't want that. Their lives had grown increasingly chaotic over the last week.

When she walked around the building towards the back of the property she started feeling nervous. She could already make out a lot of people and she didn't even have a full view. Since she hadn't expected to do much today she had put on a pair of Sophia's ratty old jeans and a tank top. If Ed seen her wearing something like that he would... Well, she doubted he would say anything at all, since she wasn't actually his wife anymore. Apparently she belonged to an entire MC.

She vaguely recognized several people from the crowd. Men that had spoken to her when she was there last week. All of them regarded her with a nod and a smile. There was music but it wasn't nearly as loud as the other time she'd been here. Just a background noise, really. The smell of cooking meat filled the air and she saw several grills going at once, burly men gathered around, beer in one hand and spatulas in the other. She couldn't help but smile at that.

She finally spotted Sophia with a group of other kids leaning against the wall under the awning. Daryl was there too and he could have easily passed as one of them. His pants were at least two sizes too big, slung low and he was wearing a sleeveless button down shirt that wasn't buttoned. The ever present vest and tousled hair only added to the bad boy quality of his appearance. She had to remind herself that she couldn't drag him from the crowd and...

He looked up then, like he could feel her heated gaze on him. He pushed off the wall, and walked towards her, his face splitting into a huge grin that had her smiling back just as wide. God, had she only seen him earlier today? It felt like much longer than that. He stopped just a few inches away and she wanted to close that short distance. She needed to touch him.

"Hey," he said, sharp blue eyes studying her. She was still smiling but his eyes narrowed slightly and his smile died on his lips. "Somethin's wrong." It was a statement, not a question.

She frowned. "What is it?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. You tell me?"

"Nothing," she said quickly, momentarily forgetting that they were standing there with a lot of other people. She didn't know how he knew. She hadn't even been thinking about it. She had just been thinking about him. Now she was thinking about it and she was afraid that he would try to get it out of her.

She took a small step closer. "Is Sophia ready to go?"

He glanced over his shoulder and she followed his gaze. She blinked in surprise. Damon was leaning against the wall now, Sophia in front of him with her back leaned into his chest. His arms were around her waist and Carol had never seen her daughter more relaxed than she did in that moment. Piper leaned closer and said something and Sophia laughed. She looked... happy. Happier than she had ever seen her before. "I don't think she's ready to go," he laughed, looking back at Carol.

"I wanted you to meet somebody anyway," he said. "I few somebodies actually. June's here and so is my old man."

"Hmm," she grinned. "Meeting your family now, huh? This is getting serious, Dixon."

He shrugged and then grabbed her quickly, his hands on her hips, pulling her closer. She felt her eyes widen right before his lips came down on hers. Before she had a chance to kiss him back he pulled away, taking her hand and leading her towards the garage. For a few terrified moments she thought he was going to try to take her to his room but he veered off, pulling her in the opposite direction once they were inside.

There weren't as many people in the bar area as there were outside and she was glad. He stopped at the bar and grabbed two beers, handing her one. She almost took it and then remembered, once again, that she was a moron that could have possibly gotten pregnant. "No thanks."

He didn't ask her why she was turning down free beer, for which she was grateful. He just shrugged and handed it back to the older man that had given it to him. Daryl nodded towards a closed door. "He's in there. Probably will be for a few more minutes. Wanna sneak off to my room?" He asked as his hand slid around her waist, pulling her so her back was pressed against his chest.

She shook her head, her heart beating faster out of fear. How was she going to be able to avoid this? "Sophia's here," she said, wondering how long she would be able to use that as an excuse.

He sighed, pulling her back into the v of his legs as he sat down on one of the tall stools. "Can't blame a guy for tryin'."

She laughed, leaning against him, enjoying the feel of his warmth seeping into her. No one was paying them any attention so when his lips met the side of her neck she tilted her head, giving him better access.

"So, what made you decide to find a job?" He asked, his lips next to her ear.

She shrugged. "Because I need a way to save up to get Sophia and I our own place. I won't be able to do a whole lot because I'm doubting I'll be making very much but anything is better than this charade." She noticed then that he had grown very still behind her and panic welled up in her chest. She turned around quickly, searching his eyes.

He probably thought that she was going to try to leave Ed to pursue something serious with him. He probably felt like she was about to try to throw a net over his head and reel him in like a prize catch. That was the last thing she wanted him to feel. Against her better judgment she wanted nothing more than to be with him. To _really_ be with him, even if the idea of that seemed ludicrous to anyone else, but she knew that was a pipe dream.

"You don't have to worry, Daryl. I'm not leaving him because of you. Well, I am leaving him because of you but it isn't what you think. You showed me that I'm worth more than I ever thought. I deserve better than him and I'm capable of taking care of me and Sophia. Staying with him is only hurting everyone I care about. I don't want you to think that you're responsible for me. I know you worry because I know you care and you're just one more person suffering because of my inability to do anything to change the situation." She was speaking quickly, trying to reassure him that she wasn't doing this for him. That she was doing what she should have done years ago, for herself and for Sophia, but it seemed like the more she talked the more stricken he looked. "Daryl, please say something," she nearly begged.

He didn't say anything. He just pulled her closer and kissed her. She took this as a good sign and relaxed into him, not caring that now his hands were roaming all over her backside and anyone glancing over would see him doing it. His hands were suggestive but the kiss was sweet, confusing her because it didn't go with the look that had just been on his face. Of course, it was Daryl she was dealing with so it didn't stay sweet for very long before he was kissing her hungrily, clouding her better judgment and giving her ideas that she couldn't afford to have right now.

"So, you're the one that's got this whole place turned on it's head."

Daryl's hands slid back up from her ass to her back as she pulled away quickly. She was only able to pull her face away because he wasn't about to let her go far. She looked over sharply but was looking the man right in the diaphragm. Her eyes moved up slowly until she was craning her neck to look him in the face. She swallowed hard. He resembled Merle more than Daryl but she could tell right away who he was. He had the same shade of eyes as Daryl's.

"I'm... uh..."

"Carol, Buck Dixon," Daryl said once it was clear that her voice was stuck somewhere in her throat.

"It's nice to finally meet you," she managed, her eyes unable to take him in without it being obvious. He was big and imposing and she felt herself glad for the grip Daryl still had on her.

Buck nodded. "You too. I heard about the problem with your old man."

"I didn't mean for Daryl to get sucked into that," she said quickly. "I would never put that on someone else." The last thing she wanted was for this man to think that she came here with the intentions of stirring up trouble. He didn't seem like the type that would tolerate something like that and she didn't want to find herself on this man's bad side.

He studied her for what felt like forever before he smiled. "I know my boy, darlin'. He does what he wants. I can tell you didn't bring this to us."

She nodded because she wasn't sure what else to do.

He gestured towards the doors that led back outside. "I better get back out there before people start tryin' to hunt me down. They're actin' like I've been gone for a year instead two weeks."

Carol smiled. She looked at Daryl, eyes wide once Buck was gone. "That's your dad?"

He nodded and let go of her long enough to retrieve his beer and down it in just a few gulps. "That'd be him."

She let him pull her close again. "Do you think he's resentful because of the Ed thing?"

Daryl shook his head. "Not a chance. You heard him. I don't do a damn thing that I don't wanna do."

She nodded. "He's so..."

Daryl laughed. "Yeah. He is."

She turned back to him, shaking her head. She slipped her arms inside his open shirt, unable to resist feeling his skin under her hands.

"You should tell Ed to get fucked and spend the night with me. The whole night. Sober this time," he said into her neck. She could feel his lips turn up in a smile.

She groaned. "That sounds amazing. But I can't. There's a lot I need to do. I'm suppose to meet with June in the morning and figure out what hours I'll be working and I still have to do a little research to see what kind of place I can end up getting for Sophia and I."

He backed her up just enough so he could stand up. "Well, you can talk to her about that now. She's right outside. She's been wanting to meet you anyway. She's pretty impressed with Sophia."

Carol let him lead her outside again. The sun was just starting to set and most of the people outside had plates in their hands as they stood in groups, chatting. He steered her towards the tables first, shoving a paper plate in her hands. "Eat."

Her eyes scanned the area where she had last seen Sophia but non of the kids were there now. Daryl pointed out towards the other side of the yard and she spotted her sitting at a table, eating with the others. She still had that easy smile that Carol could spend all day looking at. She didn't realize until now how sullen Sophia usually was. How sullen they both were.

She took the plate from him and went down the line. There was more food than she had ever seen in one place before. "How are all of you not obese?" She asked, not knowing where to start while he piled his plate high.

He shrugged. "You spend most of your life fucking, fighting or running from the law and you tend to stay pretty trim."

"You are horrible," she grinned.

"You love it."

"I do. Makes me wonder if my morals were so questionable before I met you or if it's something I've just picked up along the way."

He shrugged but his smile was wide. They found a spot in the grass and sat down. Now she was glad she had worn old jeans. They ate in comfortable silence for the most part and afterwords she found herself stretched out, leaning back on her arms while he laid on his back with his head in her lap. She was pretty sure that she hadn't felt more content in her life.


	27. Chapter 27

**It's so hot here! It's gross! I am not a fan of summer. Sun burns and sweat and bugs... I should start a nice refreshing story that takes place in winter! Hope everyone is staying cool! Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Twenty Seven**

Daryl was pretty sure he could stay there for the rest of his life. The sun was going down and the breeze was picking up. He had his head in her lap and her fingers running through his hair was just about to put him to sleep. She was leaving Ed. He knew she would eventually but he wasn't sure how it would all play out. The thing that bothered him was the fact that she made it very clear that she wasn't leaving Ed to be with him. He wanted to ask her if she'd just leave now but really he had no where for her to go. He usually slept in the room above the garage. He couldn't move her and Sophia into a room. He needed to get the house done and then he'd lay it all out. He wasn't sure how to ask her though. It would take a few weeks before everything was ready anyway so he had time.

He heard a deep chuckle and then a man's familiar voice. "That which does not kill us?"

Daryl's eyes snapped open and his head came up, grinning at his uncle Odin. "Better fuckin' run," Daryl finished. The man reached down and Daryl took his hand, letting him pull him up off the ground. He took Carol's hand and pulled her up so she wasn't just sitting there staring at them. He introduced her quickly.

"When's the wedding?" Odin asked, scratching his beard and eying Carol appreciatively.

"Leave the boy alone."

Daryl glanced over and saw June coming towards them. He had a huge soft spot for the woman. After his mom had died she had stepped in. She had been like a second mom to him in a way. She was actually forty five, but looked much younger than that. Her Native American heritage was more obvious in her than it was in her son. Her coppery skin was free of any wrinkles or lines, making her look twenty years younger than she was. Her small stature and quick smile seemed at odds with Odin's gruff and dangerous look but the two of them were inseparable and their marriage was made of something unbreakable. Just like Buck and his mom's.

She hugged Daryl and then tried to smooth down his hair but he managed to dodge her. She gave him a disapproving look and then she noticed Carol. "And finally, we meet in person," she grinned and shook Carol's hand.

Carol smiled. "I was wanting to talk to you about when-"

"Tomorrow, nine o'clock. This couldn't have happened at a better time because my other girl just quit. Now, I don't have a dress code or anything but a lot of my customers are elderly or religious types so we can't have you coming in wearing just your bra or anything. You wouldn't believe how many girls actually needed to hear me tell them that they can't bake in lingerie. Oh, and none of Daryl's tee shirts either because he doesn't own one that doesn't have either demons or skulls on it. You'll be with me all the time so it isn't a big deal if you know anything about baking. I have enough patience to train you for as long as you need"

Carol's eyes had widened as she took all this in. "Okay. That sounds pretty easy." She said eagerly. June wasn't one to beat around the bush and Carol looked like she was trying to keep up with her.

"It is. Just make sure you bring your ears. My last girl, bless her heart, was a little idiot. Not that I would ever tell her that, of course. But it's going to be nice having another woman around to talk to."

Carol smiled. "I'm really excited about starting."

She winked. "Trust me, I'm excited to have you."

They both stuck around, talking for a while before they moved on to another group. For a bunch of hardened people, they were an extremely loving bunch and Carol looked pretty impressed. She met more people, almost everyone making it a point to introduce themselves to her. Some were nicer than others. Some were probably down right scary but she never let on like she was anything but comfortable with all of them.

One of his dad's oldest friends, Randy, finally made an appearance and Daryl watched her carefully when the man introduced himself. He did so by hugging them both, winking at Carol with his good eye. He had a jagged scar that ran from his hair line down his brow, disappearing under an eye patch only to start again on his cheek and then finally end at his throat. But it didn't seem to intimidate her. She stayed pressed into Daryl's side and talked to everyone like she had known them for as long as he had. He could tell that impressed the hell out of all of them. Hell, he was impressed himself. She had a way about her that seemed to put people at ease.

He was dreading her leaving tonight more than any other night. And he could tell that she hated to leave just as much as he hated to let her go. She hadn't been planning on staying so long but he had kept her there. Just spending time with her just felt right. He was always doing something to make her laugh. Being with her was just so fucking easy. He just wished she would give in and stay but knew it wasn't smart. They were standing away from the others, leaning against the wall. Well, he was leaning against the wall. She was pressed against the front of him so tightly that she had to crane her neck to meet his eyes. He had made sure he kept her as close as he could all evening.

"I need to find Sophia and get home," she said, the sadness clear in her voice.

"You need to pack a bag and just stay with me," he muttered into her neck.

She closed her eyes and rested her forehead on his shoulder. "I want to. I really do. But I should go."

"Where's Ed been sleeping?" He asked suddenly, an idea forming in his head.

She scowled and pulled back so she could look at him. "On the couch. Him an I haven't shared a bed in at least a year."

He felt his eyebrows raise. "The two of you ain't..." He let the question hang there, not able to even voice it. He knew what Ed had said during their little meeting but he wasn't sure if he believed it and he didn't really want to think about it.

She grimaced. "No. Not in a very long time. And even when things were new and good all those years ago, it was nothing like what I feel when..." she let her voice trail off and her cheeks turned pink.

"Leave your window unlocked," he whispered into her ear.

She drew back, her eyes looking panicked. "Daryl, we can't... I mean..."

He made a face. "That time of the month or somethin'?" He shrugged. "It ain't just about that, Carol. About all the... you know... the fuckin'." He grinned when she smacked his chest.

She bit her lip to hide a smile of her own. "You'd sneak into my window just to sleep with me?"

He nodded, feeling a little awkward at the mushy turn the conversation had taken.

~H~

"I don't know if I can get out," Damon said, his hand holding hers tightly.

She swallowed thickly but smiled. "It's okay."

He shook his head. "It ain't okay after what I did today. He's gonna take it out on you and you know it."

She had been thinking the same thing all day but she wasn't about to say anything. "I've gone almost seventeen years without you around to make sure I'm okay. I'm tougher than I look."

He still looked skeptical but there wasn't anything she could say to make him feel better. She just had to put on a brave face was all. She could get through tonight just like she got through every night.

"Besides," she gave him a level look. "You haven't slept at all. You're exhausted and you need to go home and go to bed."

He grumbled but she couldn't make out what he was saying. With a weary sigh he finally nodded. "Alright but I'm gonna sleep with my phone by my head. If something happens, call. And I'm picking you up in the morning."

"Okay. I'll call if I need you, but I doubt I will."

"How do you know that? Especially after today."

"Because he isn't some kind of tough guy. He desperately wants to be but he just isn't. It's why he treats my mom the way he does. He wants to feel like he's got power over other people. What you did to him today probably scared him enough. He doesn't want that to happen again so he probably won't do anything to cause it. He's a coward and now he knows that there's consequences to how he treats me." At least that's what she kept telling herself anyway. "It's why he was nice to my mom yesterday. He wants to be a part of something like what you guys have here. He wants to feel what it's like for people to be afraid of him. Not just me and my mom but other people too. I think I'll be fine."

"I'm still gonna have Daryl call him. Him or Buck. Then I'd know for sure he'd stay away."

She smiled. "If that'll make you feel better then go for it."

"Hey!" They both turned and looked as Piper hurried towards them, a bag in her hand. "You ready? Your mom's waiting on us."

Sophia frowned. "Us?"

Piper glanced at Damon. "Yeah. I figured since one Dixon had to stay behind, you could use another one. It's already cleared but your mom wants to go before that dick face gets home tonight."

Sophia looked from Piper and Damon and was surprised to see that he was smiling now. The troubled expression he had been wearing most of the day was gone, replaced by relief. "Piper, I don't want you to have to do that. It's stupid really. What could you possibly do to Ed that I couldn't do myself. I don't want you thinking I need protected."

Piper grinned. "You have no idea what I'm capable of."

Damon nodded, his voice serious now. "It's true."

Sophia was skeptical, until she met Piper's eyes. There was a look there that, despite her small stature, made Sophia shift on her feet. Piper was a good person once you got to know her. She stood up for people and she cared deeply. With that said, Sophia saw something just then that she hadn't noticed before. Piper, under the elven features and easy smile, was just as lethal as any man standing around them now. Maybe more so, considering how underestimated she was. With a nod Sophia looked back up at Damon. "I'll see you tomorrow."


	28. Chapter 28

**This chapter gets a little tense. Hope everyone has a good morning! Thanks for reading =)**

 **Chapter Twenty Eight**

Ed was still gone by the time Carol and the girls got there. Daryl had tried to call him earlier to make sure he remembered that he was on probation. Carol knew what a coward Ed was and wasn't overly concerned about what he would do when he got home.

Piper was animated, talking about her grandfather. She talked the whole walk back to the house, keeping Carol and Sophia laughing the whole way. The closer they had gotten to the house the more she talked and Carol realized that the girl was perceptive. She knew how nervous Sophia was and was doing everything she could to lighten the mood.

"Buck thinks you guys are great. Everybody does actually. Some of those assholes are hard to empress too so that's really saying something," Piper said as they climbed the porch steps.

Carol smiled, wondering if she would ever get used to how these kids spoke. "He seems to be a really nice man."

Piper nodded. "He's the best. He used to worry about Daryl a lot. My dad was pretty bad before I showed up but he had to straighten up pretty fast because I was sick a lot when I was a baby. Can't be high all the time with a sick kid, ya know? But Daryl's another story."

Carol unlocked the door and hit the light switch, a frown forming between her eyes. She had seen how some of them acted and she didn't see how Daryl could be any worse than any of the other ones. "He doesn't seem too bad to me."

Piper tossed her bag on the couch. "Yeah, that's because you didn't know him before you came along, obviously."

Carol made her way through the house, double checking just in case Ed was there. She hadn't seen his car but that didn't mean she felt comfortable discussing Daryl so openly. "He couldn't have been that bad."

Piper shrugged, following her while Sophia slipped upstairs to take a shower. "It wasn't that he was bad. Not really. He was just kind of... I don't know. He's impulsive, which I'm sure you know that by now. And he has a crazy temper, but not like your husband does. His is more... It's kind of hard to explain. It's a protective temper, I guess. He won't tolerate people he cares about being wronged and if that means he has to break someones face in half with a crow bar then that's what he'll do. He's done it. Trust me, I saw it happen. But it isn't even all that that Buck worried about."

Carol met the girl's troubled eyes. "Well, if it wasn't all of that then what was it?"

"He wasn't focused." She made a face and shook her head. "I mean, he's always been so self indulgent, you know? No goals. He just did what felt good to him at that moment. According to Buck a man has to have something in sight to aim for but the only thing Daryl ever aimed for was self gratification. Does that make sense?"

Carol shrugged. "I suppose."

"Buck's goal has always been to be able to provide and protect his family. And he's done that and more. My dad's goal is to keep me from ending up in prison. I'm his focus. Daryl has always been aimless. Buck keeps him out of trouble and that's the only reason he isn't locked up right now. But ever since he met you he's changed. Hell, even Buck saw it as soon as he seen him. I saw it. My dad saw it. I'm not sure what the hell his goals are now but you can bet your ass it has everything to do with you. You woke him up."

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Carol asked after a few long silent moments.

"Because I don't think you're taking him very seriously and this is a serious issue. I don't want you to do anything to hurt him and I don't want him to backslide and be even worse than he was before."

Carol was speechless. It seemed insane to her that people seemed to think that she was capable of doing something like that to him. Already she cared about him much more than she had any right to. And he did seem to care about her too but people were making this out to be much more than it was. Weren't they? Did people really believe that he wanted to be with her? She cared for him and she knew he felt the same but his whole family seemed to think that they were actually in some kind of relationship destined for the stars.

She was starting to feel a headache coming on and she rubbed her temples as she leaned her hip into the table. When she opened her eyes Piper was sitting up on the counter, watching her carefully.

"Answer me this. Do you love him?" She asked.

Carol stared at her. "I barely know him."

"Bullshit. Answer the question. Whatever you say don't leave this room."

She didn't answer right away. Instead she thought back to the time they had spent together today. The easy way he touched her. She thought about that night upstairs. She thought about how, when she wasn't with him, all she could think about was how badly she wanted to be. It didn't seem to matter to her heart that they had nothing in common. That he was too young for her. That she was terrified that one day he would get bored and decide he just didn't want to bother with her anymore. She met Piper's eyes squarely and nodded stiffly. "Yes."

"That scares the holy fuck out of you, doesn't it?" Piper asked, her face serious.

"Yes."

Piper hopped down from the counter. "It shouldn't." She said before she left the room.

Carol stared after her, wondering what she had meant by that. For several long minutes she didn't move. Could they be right? Was there a chance that she could actually be with him? Not just like they were now but really be with him? She didn't have anymore time to think about it because the front door slammed and she heard heavy footsteps coming towards the kitchen.

Ed came into the kitchen and she felt her eyes grow wide. He looked horrible. His jaw was swollen and bruised and his bottom lip was sporting several dark stitches. He glared at her. "Where the hell is Sophia?"

Carol felt her heart start to race in her chest. "She's upstairs. What happened to you?" She asked, knowing very well that this was Damon's handy work but knowing she couldn't let him know that she knew that.

"She didn't tell you? She had her boyfriend jump me from behind because I was trying to get her to come home!" He roared.

Carol shook her head. "Ed, leave her alone."

"Or what?" He screeched, turning back around to face her and taking several steps closer. "Do you not see what happened to me today? Do you think for a second that I'm gonna let her get away with that?" He started undoing his belt.

"Ed if you touch her-" she glared right back. He could do what he wanted to her but if he laid his hands on Sophia she would kill him. She wasn't a violent woman but she refused to let him lay a hand on her daughter. Ever.

"You won't do shit!" He turned on his heel and stormed out of the room but Carol was hot on his heels.

~H~

Piper was perched on the desk next to the door, schooling Sophia on the positive influence that classic rock would have on her life when she heard the commotion from downstairs. Piper glanced at the door, her expression one of mild annoyance at being interrupted. Sophia was less calm. She jumped up from the bed, terror gripping her.

"Sit down," Piper said in a hard voice. She took her phone out of her pocket, fiddled with it for a second and then sat it down next to her.

Sophia sat down, her heart in her throat and her hands shaking. He was stomping down the hallway now and she could hear her mother's frantic voice but couldn't make out the words from the blood rushing behind her ears. Her eyes flicked over to Piper, who was still sitting on the desk by the door. She was surprised to see that Piper looked bored.

The door crashed open and Ed lumbered in, his face made more hideous by the swelling in his jaw and lips. Sophia cringed, scooting back on the bed.

"Ed, get out!" Carol nearly screamed, grabbing his arm.

Ed didn't even look back at Carol. He picked her up and hauled her out of the room and slammed the door, locking it quickly. He turned back to Sophia and took a few steps closer. "You think you're cute? You think you can sic your dog on me and that be the end of it?"

Sophia shook her head and tried to scurry across the bed but Ed was faster than she expected. He grabbed her hair, twisting it painfully. Carol was pounding on the door but her words were lost. It was clear that Ed still didn't know Piper was in the room. He hauled her up off the bed and roughly pulled her until she was pressed against him. She tried to squirm away but that only caused him to smile, the stitches in his lips stretching. His eyes were half crazed and then she felt his hand on her waist, moving up.

"You have no idea what I can do to you, do you? And nobody can do a damn thing about it bec-" He cried out and then fell to his knees, dropping his hold on her hair. She backed away, her mind feeling numb and her body trembling fiercely.

Piper was behind him and somehow that was the reason he was on his knees. Sophia thought now would be a good time to run but Piper had other plans. Before Ed could get back up the girl's hand snaked around, the light catching the glint off of a knife that was now pressed against his throat. Sophia saw when Ed realized that he wasn't in control of the situation anymore. Piper pressed harder and a thin stream of blood slipped down his throat.

"Hi, Ed. You really should have checked out the room to see if you two were alone."

When Ed recognized her voice he knew that he had made a critical mistake. He knew who Piper was. Sophia hated the man but she wasn't sure if she could watch her friend slit his throat. She was frozen in place. Her mom was still banging on the door.

"Your uncle never said that I couldn't discipline my daughter," he roared, his eyes wide with fear but unable to keep his idiot mouth shut.

"Is that what that was? Cause it looked to me like you were about to do a little more than that you sick fuck. You know what them guys do to pigs that put their hands on little girls?" Piper's voice was loud.

The banging on the door stopped and a strange tense silence filled the room. A few seconds later the door crashed open and Daryl stepped into the room.

"Get her the fuck off me!" Ed yelled, unable to turn around to see who was there.

Daryl took in the scene quickly. When his eyes landed on Sophia they hardened. "You okay?"

Ed tried to move at the sound of the voice but Piper, eyes narrowed, pressed even harder, causing him to cry out again and more blood to flow. Sophia felt dizzy.

Carol came in then, taking in the scene much less calmly than Daryl did. Daryl grabbed her elbow gently. "Get her out of here. Go wait by the truck."

"What the hell is this!" Ed yelled.

Daryl glanced at Piper. "Let him up," he ordered.

Pipers eyes snapped up, flashing. "Fuck you! No way. You didn't see him pawing her. I want him." Her voice was a low growl, her eyes seemed to glow from within from rage.

"Piper, you ain't killin' a man tonight goddamn it, give me the knife."

She shook her head. "No. And by the way, Ed. Buck, the big boss man you haven't met yet, he's on the phone. He's heard all of this."

Carol led Sophia out of the room then.


	29. Chapter 29

**It's raining! This makes me extremely happy so here is another chapter! =) Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Twenty Nine**

Daryl came around then so he could look down at Ed. Before Carol could pass him he stopped her. He knew Ed was watching. "Did he touch you?"

She shook her head, her eyes filled with tears.

The site of them had his stomach turning sour. He wiped one away with the pad of his thumb. "Go ahead and take them both to the garage, alright? I'll be there soon." He pushed a spare key to the back door into her hand.

She nodded and then her and Sophia were hurrying out of the room. He watched them go and then he picked up Piper's phone from the desk.

"You get all that?" He asked, knowing that Buck was listening and most likely seething with anger. This was a delicate situation and he knew they had to handle it with a level head. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't kill Ed tonight and neither could any of the others.

"Yeah, I heard it. Bout gave me a fuckin' heart attack. I'm on my way. Randy and Odin are with me. Put her on the phone before she makes a mess."

Daryl held the phone out to the girl. She glared at him but finally she removed the knife from Ed's throat and shoved his head forward before stepping away from him.

"There, I let the bastard live," she snapped into phone.

Daryl came around to stand in front Ed, who was in the process of standing up. Once he was standing on his feet again his eyes landed on Daryl. "You act like you know my wife."

Daryl smiled but it was cold. "What'd I tell you? What's yours is mine, Ed. We've already met a few times."

"You... have you slept with my wife?" Ed choked, his hand going to his throat and his fingers coming away slick with blood.

"What did you do to Sophia? You might as well be honest now cause my niece is gonna fill me in."

"He tried to feel her up! I saw it!" Piper shrieked.

Daryl looked at her, nausea swirling in his stomach and anger causing his pulse to throb behind his ears. She still had the phone to her ear.

"Like I said, you never said a damn thing about me not disciplining my own kid," Ed said, trying to sound apologetic. "If I had known..."

"You think touching your own blood is some kind of form of discipline?" He felt like gagging. He could only imagine how Sophia felt. "Have you done this shit before?"

Ed shook his head. "The girl's lying. I didn't-"

Daryl swung without thinking, the blow landing solidly against the already damaged jaw. Ed bellowed in pain and stumbled. Daryl clenched and unclenched his fists, breathing deeply as he tried to calm himself. He wasn't used to the restraint. It was difficult. "My niece ain't a liar. You know what you did and you're gonna tell me right now if you've done it before."

Ed shook his head, holding his jaw. "No," he groaned, leaning forward as the pain brought tears to his eyes. If Damon hadn't broken his face earlier it was sure as shit broken now. He sat down heavily in the desk chair, apparently too wracked with pain to stand anymore. What a pussy.

Daryl didn't believe him and he felt his control slip. He took a step forward but stopped when someone else stepped through the door. Buck eyed him and shook his head. He must have been at the garage when Piper called him. Ed heard the sounds of heavy boots and looked up and Daryl wished that he had been recording this moment. Ed took in the four newcomers and made a pathetic terrified sound. Between Buck's massive size, Odin's murderous look, Merle's barely concealed rage and Randy's mangled face the four made one hell of a spectacle. Any one of them were scary enough on their own but when those four went out together it looked like they stepped right out of the gates of hell. Piper stepped back into the room but Merle grabbed her around the waist, threw her over his shoulder and stalked out of the room.

"I gotta say," Buck growled as he took a seat on the side of the bed, leaning closer to Ed who was still slumped in the chair. "I'm kind of ashamed that the likes of you ever stepped foot in my garage." Daryl watched Buck carefully. There was something brewing in his eyes. He could see it.

Ed's face, what little of it wasn't bruised up already, drained of color. "You don't understand! That isn't what I was doing. It may have seemed that way but all I was gonna do was teach her a lesson. That's it. I wasn't going to- to molest her!"

Randy looked at the floor and then scooped up the belt Ed had dropped when Piper had kicked the back of his knee. "With this?"

Ed looked up and cursed under his breath. "That was just to scare her is all. I don't understand what the hell you were doing in my house anyway."

"My house, remember?" Daryl grinned even though it was forced. "Came to pay your wife a visit."

Buck leaned down in Ed's face. Ed looked like he was trying to put his head through the back of the wooden slats to get away from him. Buck took his time, eyeing the man. "You know, I usually don't do this. Usually I wouldn't bother but... I think you got potential."

Ed blinked in surprise and stopped trying to cower away like the whipped dog that he was. Daryl watched as Odin and Randy shared a smile. "What?" Ed whispered, hope filling his voice. Daryl couldn't believe how incredibly stupid this man was.

Buck stepped back. "Get up."

Ed did as Buck said as fast as he could, glancing between all of them eagerly. It made Daryl sick but he trusted Buck and he knew that the man was going to make Ed pay. He was just going to bide his time. Sometimes these things took time. Especially things like this.

Buck stood there silent until Ed was shifting on his feet. "You forfeit."

Ed blinked. "I what?"

"Your wife. Your girl. They're gone. If she wants the house, it's hers too. You got a problem with that?"

Ed searched his face but Buck was dead serious, huge arms crossed over his broad chest. "What does that mean?"

"That means we'll give you another shot but those girls are gone. Understood? You wanna put up a fight then your chances of becoming one of us is done and you lose them anyway. What's your choice."

"Take them!" Ed said eagerly. "If I can get another chance then take them."

Daryl felt even sicker. But he still trusted Buck. If Buck still wanted to keep this asshole around then there was a reason behind it. Daryl had a feeling he knew the reason and he was having a hard time keeping a straight face. They didn't let men get away with doing the kind of things Ed would have ended up doing. There was a code. And since him and Carol were... whatever him and Carol were, meant that Sophia was officially, in the eyes of the club, Daryl's responsibility in a way and Daryl would be the one to dole out whatever punishment he saw fit. Buck wasn't handling it just yet, but Ed's time was coming.

All of them looked over their shoulders at a sound coming from the window. Daryl's heart sank when Damon appeared. He had never seen so much hate on another human's face, especially not this kid. But it was there. It was like he didn't see Daryl at all. He didn't see Buck or Randy or his own father either. All he saw was the threat. And he was the one that had to handle the threat. He crossed the room in just a few long strides and it all happened so fast that no one knew what the hell was going on until it was almost too late.

Damon reached behind him when he was just a foot away from Ed. Daryl saw it then but couldn't even move. Ed was shoved viciously against the wall. Ed opened his mouth to either say something or to scream but he didn't have a chance to do either. Damon shoved the barrel right into Ed's mouth, so far that the man gagged.

Daryl realized then that it didn't matter what him and Carol were. Damon was the man that had to handle this. The kid snarled and pushed the barrel in deeper. If someone didn't do something soon he wasn't going to have a chance to shoot Ed. He was going to put the gun barrel right through the back of the man's throat. Ed coughed and gagged and a stream of blood dripped down to his chin. Man, that shit had to hurt something fierce...

~H~

Carol wasn't sure what to do once she got to the garage. It was empty when she got there so she took Sophia and Piper up the back stairs and into Daryl's room. Even Piper had stayed quiet during the ride there. She was in the back seat and Carol could hear her frantically texting someone. Once she had them inside she turned.

"What did he do?" She asked, unable to keep her hands from shaking as she looked at Sophia. She was pale and shaking herself. Her arms were wrapped around herself tightly.

Sophia just shook her head, looking at the floor.

"Tell her, goddamn it!" Piper snapped, causing Sophia to flinch.

"Piper!" Carol snapped back. "Give her a minute. You're not helping."

Piper crossed her arms over her chest. "He was touching her. And he leers at her all the time. It got so bad last night that Damon came over to make sure Ed didn't come in. That's why he looked like shit all day. He didn't sleep. You can ask him. She may not be able to tell you but I will."

Carol was stunned into immobility. She felt like there was a weight on her chest, pressing the air out of her. Sophia sat on the edge of Daryl's bed, looking down at the floor. A million questions ran through her mind but she wasn't sure how to voice them. She sat down next to her but didn't touch her. She was afraid to touch her. She thought that maybe Sophia was in shock and the least little push would send her flying over the edge. Carol felt the same way.

"Sophia..."

"He hasn't done anything, mom," she said in a hushed voice.

"What happened? When did it start happening? Has he-"

She shook her head. "He just gives me this look sometimes and I feel like he wants too. It makes me sick."

"But he's never..?" She couldn't even form whole sentences.

She shook her head. "Nothing like tonight. If Piper hadn't been there then I think he would have..."

"How long has he been doing that, looking at you like that?" She asked, her throat closing and the bands around her chest tightening.

She shrugged and looked up. "Years," she whispered.

Carol looked away, dropping her head as her mind tried to wrap around these new facts. How could she not have seen that? What kind of mother was she?

"I'm gonna go wait downstairs," Piper said, her voice quiet. "I'm sorry, Sophia, but she needed to know."

Sophia smiled weakly and nodded. "I know."

Carol couldn't stand the pain that laced her daughter's words. "Why didn't you tell me?" She asked, unable to hold back the tears any longer.

Sophia just shook her head. "I don't know."

The sound of feet running up the stairs had them both looking up sharply. Carol was surprised when June barged in, her eyes wide.

"Damon isn't here?" She asked breathlessly, her dark eyes scanning the room.

Sophia stood up then, life returning to her eyes and color flooding her face. "He's suppose to be at home."

"Oh shit," Piper mumbled from behind June.

The heavy silence that filled the room had them all looking towards the window.

 **I know that it seems to be taking forever to deal with Ed but I promise, it is going to happen. I feel like a cat with a mouse. I want to toy with him first. He has a bit of humiliation to suffer before anything else =)**


	30. Chapter 30

**There isn't much I can say about this chapter. I hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading! =)**

 **Chapter Thirty**

When Daryl pulled up to the garage he was relieved to see her car there. He didn't know why he had expected to find the parking lot empty. June's car was there too.

"Shit," Damon muttered, pushing his hair out of his face.

Daryl looked over at him as he slammed the truck into park. "What? You're goddamn lucky your stupid ass ain't on your way to prison right now. Be glad you only have to deal with your mom, asshole." He was still shaken over what the boy had almost done. Ed was on his way to the hospital again, under strict orders not to say a word about who had done the damage to his throat. He'd been bleeding pretty back when Daryl had left.

"I'd rather get locked up. She's gonna be all over my ass." He didn't wait for Daryl to say anything else before he hopped out of the truck, slammed the door and took off towards the garage.

Daryl watched him go, using the silence in the truck to sooth his frayed nerves. It wasn't working though. He was wound so tight he was sure he was going to snap. The club had a safe house and he was sure that's where Carol and Sophia were going to stay. They used it for cases just like this. It was mostly just a one room bungalow with a microscopic bathroom attached to it. But it was modern, clean, safe and secure. He didn't think either of them would want to go back to that house, even if Ed wasn't in it. The two of them could stay at the safe house until Daryl could figure out something else to do. He still wanted to talk to her about moving in with him but after all of this, it just didn't seem right. He would stick to his word and when the house was ready he would ask her. The thought made him nervous so he pushed it to the back of his mind. There were more pressing matters to deal with.

He got out of the truck and made his way to the garage at a much slower pace than Damon had. He was dreading this. He didn't want to deal with the aftermath of something like this and normally, he wouldn't have. He would have taken the ladder all the way to the roof and sat there getting stoned out of his head and let someone else deal with it. But he wasn't that guy anymore. He couldn't run from the hard shit. Pussies ran from the hard shit. Men that didn't give a fuck ran from the hard shit. He wasn't a pussy and he couldn't possibly give more fucks than he did right now.

When he walked in the door Piper was coming out. Her head was down, her shoulders hunched. It was so out of character for her that he grabbed her by the arm, fearing that maybe Ed had done something to her after all. When she turned around, yanking her arm free he could see that she was a mess. Piper wasn't a crier. She never had been. But he could see that she was doing just that right now.

"I already know I fucked up, okay. I don't need any shit from you," she muttered, not looking up.

He tugged her a little closer. "I ain't givin' you shit. You didn't fuck up either." He was lying. She had scared him just as bad as Damon. Both of those kids had fucked up tonight but he wasn't going to rub it in her face.

She shook her head. "I lost it back there and I know it. Then I was still so fucking pissed I texted Damon and told him everything. If it wasn't for me then he never would have came." She looked up, large green eyes troubled and wet. "I wanted him to kill him. I wanted to kill him myself but then when June came I thought he'd really done it," her voice trailed off and she wiped angrily at a tear that escaped her. "How could somebody do something like that? How could a man try to do that to his own kid? He should have died tonight."

He threw an arm over her shoulder and steered her back inside. "Between me and you, I wish he'd have blown that bastards brains out, if he coulda gotten away with it. But you know Buck. He's got somethin' brewin'."

"I don't give a damn that I wanted him dead. I still think he needs taken care of for the shit he did, or thought about doing. For a second I was even glad when I thought Damon had killed him but I need to stop thinking like that. That's murder. That's prison. That ain't even something Buck can make go away."

"He didn't do it. He was going too. I ain't ever seen him like that. It's been a long time since I've seen _anybody_ like that and you know we've all seen some shit. But that wasn't your fault. Ed needed the scare."

She looked up, still swiping at her face almost angrily. "You're not such an asshole after all. I thought I was in for it."

He shrugged and headed towards the stairs. "You know me. I'm a sucker for all that cryin' shit. Gets me every time."

She smiled. "Fuck off. You better not tell anybody."

"Piper!" They both turned and Merle was storming towards them, his face livid.

"Crap," she hissed. "Lets see if this teary shit will work on him. He's tougher than you." She started walking towards him and he saw Merle's steps falter when he took her in. His face went from enraged to confused and then to shock. When she finally made it to him he didn't scream and throw a fit. He wrapped her in his arms.

"I'll be damned. The little shit is gonna get outta all this scott free," he muttered before heading up the stairs. Out of all of them Merle was the toughest on her. Daryl was like the big brother that didn't mind getting in trouble with her every now and then, Buck treated her like she was some kind of goddamn black clad princess, but Merle didn't fall for her shit very often. When his ass went into dad mode he meant business.

When he made it to his room Sophia seemed to be better. Her and Damon were standing in the corner and from what he could tell she was actually fussing over him. Carol was with June, her face stricken and pale, her eyes red rimmed as the other woman talked to her. She kept glancing up at Sophia and it seemed like every time she looked at the girl a flash of pain cut through her. He wanted to go talk to her but she seemed to be preoccupied with June so he leaned against the wall, as far from all of them as he could get so he wouldn't look like he was trying to listen in on what was being said.

June finally stepped away and Carol glanced up, just realizing he was standing there.

"I'll wait downstairs with them mom," Sophia said, glancing between her mom and Daryl. June and Carol were gonna have a hard time keeping those two away from each other tonight. Damon didn't look like he was willing to let the girl out of his site and Sophia clung to his arm like she'd float away if he wasn't there to keep her grounded. He knew the feeling.

Carol nodded and waited for them to leave the room before she walked towards him. He didn't know what to say to her. She looked ready to fall over. He expected her to say something. He expected her to maybe be angry over what had happened tonight. Instead she threw herself at him, her arms slipping into his jacket, holding on tightly. He wasn't sure what to do at first, never having been one to deal well with emotional breakdowns of any kind that didn't have something to do with anger. Her face was buried in the crook of his neck. Her whole body shook and then he felt her stifle a sob.

Yeah, Sophia was definitely taking this better than Carol was. He didn't say anything because he had no clue what to say. He ran his hands over her back, hoping that he was doing whatever the hell he was suppose to be doing while the woman he loved was having an emotional breakdown.

Then he realized that he had referred to her as the woman he loved in his head without flinching and that had him feeling like smiling like an idiot. He quickly shook the thought of smiling away, unable to believe he could smile at all at a time like this. Then again this was kind of a monumental moment for him.

"How could I have not seen what was going on right in front of my face?" She hiccuped into his neck.

"This is when I'm suppose to say some kinda reassuring shit, right?" He asked, being completely serious.

She nodded but didn't say anything.

"Well, cause he probably didn't do the shit right in front of you. I'm sure if he did you woulda been wearin' his balls around your neck as a trophy, right?"

She nodded again.

"Well then there you go. People are good at hidin' who they are."

"You don't," she said, her voice shaking.

He shrugged. "Cause I ain't some sick fuck that needs to hide who I am. I'm goddamn great."

She laughed a little, hiccuped again and tightened her hold around him. "I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't shown up."

"Piper woulda slit his throat. I already know what woulda happened."

"We're are we going to go? What the hell am I suppose to do now? I don't want to go back to that house."

"It's late. You can come home with me tonight. Sophia can stay in Piper's room. We'll figure the rest out tomorrow. It's been a really long fucking day."

She nodded. "It has."

"You gonna be okay?" He asked after a few silent moments.

She shook her head and finally pulled away. She met his eyes and he had to blink. There was something different simmering in those blue depths. Something that he instantly felt drawn too. "I want him dead," she said, her voice stronger now.

He held her gaze. "You probably just feel that way now. He needs to pay for what he did but you-"

"No. I want him dead."

He didn't take his eyes off of hers for a long time and then finally he gave her a nod. "Then he's dead."

~H~

She was surprised at how nice the house was. Not that she had expected them to live in a dump but she hadn't been expecting something like this. It was a big house set back from the road. The nearest neighbor on either side were a half mile away. It was a sprawling one story brick house with a lot of windows and an attached garage.

"I thought you lived above the garage." She said, her voice still not sounding like her own.

"That's where I stay sometimes. I claimed it back when I was usually drunk or stoned outta my head. It was easier to climb the stairs than try to drive home."

"That's smart."

He parked the truck in front of the open garage door and jumped down, pulling her out on his side. "June still want you to go in tomorrow?"

She nodded, walking close to his side. "Yeah. I don't want to just sit around and think about all of this. Right now I just want to sleep though."

Sophia had ridden back with Buck and Piper. Carol was hesitant for the girl to leave her sight but she couldn't put her on lock down because of something Ed had done. Sophia hadn't done anything wrong so she shouldn't have to deal with her mom hovering over her all night when she seemed to just want to be left alone. She was going to talk about it though. Carol was just going to give her time to adjust first. She had even insisted on going to school since she had already missed a day. Carol thought that it would be best for her to miss another day but she shook her head, her eyes pleading and Carol had given in.

As soon as they stepped inside she turned at the sound of another vehicle pulling up. She knew it was Buck and Merle with the girls. Everyone seemed exhausted and no one seemed to want to talk about anything that had happened. She knew she didn't anyway. Not right now. Sophia hugged her tightly before she went off with Piper, Merle and Buck didn't linger either and finally Daryl grabbed her hand and led her down a hallway to a door in the very back.

She was surprised at just how messy it was. He had clothes strewn around the room, shirts hanging off the bed posts, jeans slung over the chair in the corner. It reminded her once again how very different they were. The bed wasn't made but it was big and she wanted nothing more than to crawl under the thick blanket and sleep the last few hours away.

He went to the closet and threw open the door, yanking on the light chain. He pulled a black t-shirt from the middle of a row of black t-shirts and tossed it to her. "You can sleep in that. It's the best I can do."

She held it up and laughed. The sleeves were cut off and there was a grinning skull with a some kind of faded snake crawling through the eye and nose holes. "This is fine."

He kicked off his boots and quickly shed his clothes, flopping onto the bed in his boxer briefs while she still stood there in the middle of the room holding his shirt. He folded his arms behind his head and looked at her with one eyebrow raised. "You gonna just stand there?"

She found herself flushing and she didn't even know why. She turned her back on him and took her shirt off and then her bra, tossing both onto the dresser that already had an array of items strewn about. She slipped the shirt over her head, breathing deeply when she realized it smelled just like him. Once she was rid of her jeans she crawled in, slipping under the blanket and rolling over onto her side so she was facing him, inching closer until he sighed and yanked her against him. Without missing a beat his lips were on hers. When he pulled away he settled onto his side so she rolled over, her back to him.

Instantly his arm was around her, his hand pressing flat against her stomach. She wondered as she drifted off to sleep how he would eventually react if she was really pregnant. She pushed the thought away like she had been doing all day, not ready to think about it too much at the moment. It had already been stressful enough.


	31. Chapter 31

**Moving right along here! have a great morning and thanks for reading =)**

 **Chapter Thirty One**

She was disoriented when she woke up in the dark room. She had been dreaming of Ed's leering face and almost expected to see it when her eyes snapped open. And then she remembered that she wouldn't be seeing that face anymore. Daryl had moved in his sleep, rolling over onto his back. His deep even breathing calmed her the rest of the way. She didn't want to wake him so she eased her head over until it was resting on his chest. Her hands moved over his stomach lightly, her fingers drawing patterns there.

She smiled to herself. He was asleep but every time her hand moved lower his pulse would quicken slightly. She raked her nails over the V that disappeared into his boxers. He mumbled something and then his hand found hers, easing it lower. She was pretty sure he was still sleeping. She could tell by the way his breathing was still deep and slow. She kissed his chest lightly before she slipped just the tips of her fingers beneath the waistband of his boxers.

He grumbled and then lifted his hips into her hand. "Carol?" He mumbled sleepily.

"Hmm?" She purred, kissing his chest again.

"Please tell me you ain't asleep," he whispered.

She smiled and then moved her hand over the length of him, not very surprised that he was already hard. He was the most virile man she had ever met. To say he had a strong sex drive was an understatement. "I'm not asleep."

"I thought we couldn't do anything."

"I never said _I_ couldn't do anything," she said, wrapping her hand around his hot flesh and squeezing gently.

"Well, if that's the case you go ahead and do whatever the hell you want," he mumbled, pushing up into her hand again. "And if this is the kind of shit you do in the middle of the night, I ain't lettin' your ass go anywhere."

She removed her hand quickly. "Take them off," she said in a rush. She had a strange insatiable urge to taste him.

"Yes ma'am," he drawled, ridding himself of the last of his clothes. He sent them flying over her head. She didn't see them but she felt them whiz by.

She slid over him, about to move down when he grabbed her and hauled her back up, his lips on her throat before meeting hers in a heated kiss that had her head spinning and her heart pounding. She ignored her own body's screaming need for him though, remembering that she had to wait. She trailed her lips down his jaw, nipping him hard, causing him to jerk and then licking the sting away.

"Jesus," he breathed. "Where the hell did you learn that?"

She smiled. "From you."

"No shit? I'm good at this then."

She could hear the grin in his voice. His hands came down on her hips, fingertips pressing into her roughly. She had to close her eyes and breath through her own intense desire. This was for him, not her and she had to keep that in mind. By the time her lips had moved down to his stomach he was breathing heavily. It was a heady experience, knowing how badly he wanted her to touch him. His fingers curled through her hair and gently coaxed her head down further. She laughed softly. "You're impatient."

"You're fuckin' killin' me here, woman," he panted, still easing her lower and lower.

His fingers tightened when she gripped him again, running her tongue over the underside slowly. She could time his frantic heartbeats by the pulsing throb in her hand but she kept up this slow teasing game until he was cursing under his breath. When she finally took him into her mouth he groaned. Lowering her head slowly she took in as much of him as she could, her hand still working over the rest, unable to take it all. She noticed how he kept his grip in her hair but didn't try to force himself down her throat. That only caused her to appreciate him that much more so she pushed past the urge to gag, taking more until he was growling low in his chest and that steady pulse increased.

She moved at a steady pace, and she found out quickly that the more he seemed to enjoy it, the more she needed him to enjoy it even more. Her hand came up, cupping his balls and massaging gently. Apparently that was something he was really fond of. His breath left him in a rush.

"Jesus, payback for this is gonna be fun," he muttered, gasping as she increased her speed and pressure. "You ain't even gonna know your own name."

His words were torture because she knew he would hold true to any promises he made. She hummed in response and he jerked his hips.

"Carol, I'm bout too-"

"Mmhmm..."

"Shit!" He growled loudly and then a shudder ran through him right before he was pulsing into her mouth. She swallowed around him, reveling in the way he was falling apart all because of something she was doing to him. It was how he made her feel every time they were together.

She slid back up his body once she knew he was finished. She could feel the muscles in his stomach flutter under her weight. He sat up quickly, startling her as he whipped the shirt over her head, his lips quickly pressing against the hallow between her collar bones.

"Daryl, we can't-" she gasped as his head dipped down to her breasts.

"I know," he breathed. "Damn it." He unwound his arms from around her and dropped back down onto his back. His hands didn't leave her though. He blazed a trail up her thighs and then pulled her down, pressing his lips to her forehead before he let her climb off of him. She curled her leg over his hip when he rolled into her. "So is this somethin' that could turn into a habit of yours? Wakin' up with an urge to suck my-"

"Watch it Dixon," she laughed. "I'll have my own place soon so you won't be around every night, even if I did wake up with the urge to do that again." She felt an overwhelming sense of sadness at this thought.

She expected him to come back with a quip, and hoped that maybe he would offer to let her and Sophia stay here until things got settled but he stayed silent. It didn't take her as long as she thought it would for her to fall back to sleep.

~H~

Daryl, in a surprising show of maturity, woke up before the alarm went off. It was seven in the morning but the heavy blinds and thick curtains blocked all of the sun. The room was nearly as dark as it had been the night before. Carol was asleep next to him, sprawled out on her stomach and he could just make out the curve of her spine. He reached out, following the curve with just the tips of his fingers. She stirred, rolled over onto her side and pulled his arm the rest of the way around her. Mumbling something that he didn't catch.

Her words last night still ran sharply through his mind. She wasn't even considering staying with him and he was surprised at the hollow feeling it left in his chest. Her warm body pressed against his felt right. More right than anything else ever had in his life and he would dread not having her there. He could have just manned up and poured his heart out but he was nervous. It wasn't that he didn't think he was good enough for her because he knew he was. She deserved somebody that would treat her like she deserved to be treated. She deserved someone that would protect her. She deserved somebody that made her feel good about herself. He was the man for the job. But did she know that?

He ran his nose along her shoulder, only depressing himself further. He wasn't an idiot. He knew that he wasn't perfect. He had flaws just like every other person in the world. He wasn't the most stable guy out there. He was prone to senseless violence when it suited him, not that he would ever raise his hand to her. He was a fuck up in a lot of ways but not in the ways that mattered. Whether he was a criminal or not, he'd love her more than anyone else ever could. But would she see that? Did she really feel something or was she just having fun?

"Hey," he muttered into her ear. "Time to get your ass movin'."

She surprised him then by actually rolling her hips, grinding her ass against his groin. She laughed sleepily when he gripped her hip to stop her.

"Thought you said I couldn't stick it there," he grinned. She was an obvious morning person.

"Honestly, Daryl, I think you know that if you played your cards right I'd-" A knock at the door had her cutting off her words.

"We got trouble little brother. Up and at'em," Merle called, his voice a little off.

"Fuck," Daryl groaned, rolling out of bed quickly and dressing as fast as he could. He turned on the light just as Carol was pulling his shirt over her head. "I gotta get out there."

Her wide eyes held a trace of fear but she nodded quickly. He ran a hand through his hair on his way out the door. When he made it to the living room he stopped in his tracks at what he saw.

"Daryl, man, I'm sorry..." Shane Walsh said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously as he looked down at the ground.

"The fuck's goin' on?" He asked, shoving his feet into his boots. He didn't realize Martinez, the chief of police, was there until he took a step towards him.

Merle tensed and was about to get in his way but Buck stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. Sophia, Piper and Damon were there, watching the drama unfold.

Shane looked up at him from under a heavy brow. "It was those Rookies that picked you up the other night. They knew they weren't suppose to but they went ahead and pushed the charges through. We got the paperwork back this morning and made sure we were the ones that came out."

"You gotta be kiddin' me," Merle growled. "You mother fucker's have a job to do just like we do, goddamn it. How could y'all let a couple of green backs fuck up this big?"

"Dave pressed charges. He's still in the hospital," Martinez said quickly, glancing nervously between Buck and Merle before his eyes came to rest of Daryl. "I'm gonna try to clean this up but it's gonna be hard. There's only so much I can do from my end. The Prosecutor made sure to put it all into action fast. You all aren't his favorite people. He's probably gonna try to make an example out of you. He's new. He has a reputation to establish."

"What's going on?" Everyone looked up then. Carol was standing in the doorway, taking in the scene.

"I really am sorry about this, Daryl," Shane said again, taking a step towards him, reaching for the cuffs at his belt.

"You can't be fuckin' serious!" Merle roared.

Daryl stared at Shane and knew the man didn't want to be the one to do this but he also knew the trouble that could be stirred up if a different cop came out to the house. Buck looked over and Daryl nodded. He turned Merle around and started hauling him towards the kitchen.

Shane shook his head. "Daryl Dixon, you're under arrest for aggravated battery. You have the right to remain silent," Daryl put his hands behind his back and didn't fight when Shane put the cuffs on. He tuned out the rest of his so called rights, having heard them plenty of times before. What he did do was look up, meeting Carol's eyes from across the room.

She looked like someone had just kicked her in the stomach. Her face was pale, her eyes wet. Before Shane could turn him around to haul him out the door she covered her mouth with her hand and turned, hurrying back the way she had came.

It was kind of ironic that as soon as he made the conscious decision to turn himself around and try to stop doing the same kind of crazy shit he had always done, the crazy shit would come back and bite him in the ass. He wouldn't be so worried if this was his first time being arrested for this. Or maybe even his second. This was going to be hard because this was his third strike. Well, his third strike on file anyway. There had been plenty of other times. Battery was a felony and he was a repeat offender. In a nutshell- He was fucked. Any dream he had of turning around turned to dust as Shane opened the door so he could climb into the back seat. He didn't even glance back at the house.


	32. Chapter 32

**Remember, you can trust me! I promise!**

 **Chapter Thirty Two**

Carol hadn't known that Buck had actually hurriedly packed her and Sophia a bag. She showered and got dressed, her heart heavy. This, in a way, was all her fault. Sure, she didn't tell him to go off and beat up some guy but she knew the reason he had done it was for saying something about her. If she had just called someone else that night when her car was broke down then none of this would have ever happened.

She was nervous as she entered the kitchen. Buck and Merle were sitting at the table, worry etched deep lines in Buck's face as he stared off, cup of coffee clasped between his hands. Merle looked about the same, just a younger version. She felt awkward, like she didn't belong here. Like Daryl was the only link and with him gone, she was intruding on them. And she couldn't help but wonder if they blamed her as much as she blamed herself.

Buck looked up, finally noticing her standing there. She didn't realize she was wringing her hands. He offered her a smile. "Rough mornin'. Coffee's hot but the company ain't the greatest."

She poured a cup and then sat down, running her finger over the rim. "I just want you both to know that I'm really sorry about this."

Merle looked at her briefly but his eyes turned back down to the table.

"Not just about Daryl but about last night. The kids, Ed, all of it. I just want you to know that I'll be out of your hair tonight. And if there's anything I can do to help him, please call me. Or let June know and she can pass on the message."

Buck looked up, blue eyes studying her with a deep frown. "Ain't none of this your fault. He makes his own decisions. Most of'em bad. Trust me, darlin', Daryl was born a magnet for trouble. It finds him every time."

"I kind of brought it right to his door though. He was just trying to be a nice guy and help someone out. Now all of this has happened and you can say that it wasn't my fault, and not all of it was but..."

Buck and Merle shared a look and then, to her surprise, they both chuckled. She looked from one face to the other, not understanding what could possibly be so funny. Merle finally looked at her. "My brother ain't a nice guy. He don't run around lookin' for people to help out. If he came to you that night it was cause he already had it in the back of his head that there was gonna be somethin' in it for him."

Carol frowned and was about to ask him to elaborate but Buck chimed in just then.

"I don't think that's the case. But Merle's right. If he did you any favors, it wasn't out of the kindness of his heart. He probably did it as a favor to Piper since the girls were friends and then it just kinda snowballed from there. Don't ever think that you ain't nothin' but a piece to him. That ain't the case at all." He gave Merle a hard look and kicked him under the table. "Well, maybe that's all it was suppose to be. He cares about you though. You keep that in mind."

She nodded. "I know that. I just didn't want you two to think that I meant to bring any of this on your family."

"We don't," Merle said, standing up.

Buck joined him and then looked down at her. "You ain't no bother either. You can stay here as long as you need to stay here, alright?"

She nodded but she knew she wouldn't take him up on his offer. There wasn't any reason for her to be here.

"We're meetin' with his lawyer so we'll know somethin'. I'll call you and let you know what we figured out. You need anything? Money for gas? All you gotta do is ask. You won't have to worry about a damn thing while he's locked up," Buck assured her.

She shook her head. "I'm not taking money from you, Buck, but thank you. I was going to try to get an advance from June and just get Sophia and I a room for the next few days. There's a motel not for from her school and..."

"Fuck that!" Merle snapped. "Ain't no woman under my watch gonna hole up with her teenage daughter in a Motel. Especially not that one. Bunch of hookers and pill heads sniffin' around that place. No way."

"Merle, I'm not under your watch. I can't just stay here-"

"Look, we have a place for you and Sophia to go, okay. It's like a safe house. It's nothin' special but you and Sophia can stay out there until we can figure somethin' else out."

She debated in her head for a few long moments. If she took him up on his offer then she wouldn't have to ask June for anything and that would be great. She also wouldn't have to worry about Ed or anyone else finding out where she was. "Okay. That does sound better than a motel."

Both men looked relieved.

Buck promised to call her again as they parted ways. She was going to tell him that he didn't have to go out of his way but it wouldn't have done her any good. One trait that they all shared was their stubbornness. She followed the directions that June had given her and, despite the despair that filled her over Daryl's arrest and her very uncertain future she couldn't help the small smile that graced her lips. The bakery was in the historic part of town tucked in between a building that advertised an insurance agency and another that looked like an antique store.

The bakery was bright and cheery, sticking out like a decorative thumb. It had a wide pink awning casting shade on several tables, like people made a habit of eating cupcakes and cookies right out on the sidewalk. The display window was large and she was intimidated by the array of fancy cakes and pies behind the glass. She could bake with the best of them but she had never been very good at the decorating part. She hoped June didn't expect her to be an expert at any of this.

The bell dinged when she stepped inside, drawing the attention of a few patrons that were sitting at a round vintage table near the window. They were eating danishes and sipping fancy looking coffees. The décor was a wild combination of art deco style meshed heavily with fluff. Carol adored it right away. She imagined Daryl and Merle and the others sitting at one of the lacquered pastel colored tables eating cake and she laughed out loud, her eyes dancing. Behind the counter there were old photographs of the town and she was actually surprised to see several that were framed black and whites of men in leather, posing in front of bikes.

June came around the corner, placing fresh cookies into a glass case before looking up, noticing Carol standing there. She smiled and motioned for her to follow her so Carol did. The kitchen was larger than she expected, all stainless steel and modern.

"Honey, I heard what happened this morning. I'm so sorry," June said as soon as the kitchen door swung closed behind him. She hugged her tightly. "But don't worry about anything, okay? Until this mess gets straightened out we're going to make sure you and that lovely girl of yours are taken care of."

Carol smiled and nodded slightly. She wanted to ask why everyone was treating her like her and Daryl were married. Even his family was acting like she had been a part of their lives from the start. She appreciated it immensely but that didn't mean she understood it at all. Her curiosity was burning too bright for her not to say anything.

"June, can I ask you something?"

June pulled away and nodded, dark almond shaped eyes that were exactly like her son's studying her sadly. "Of course."

"Why is everyone treating me like Daryl and I are a couple? I mean, I appreciate everything you all are trying to do for me and Sophia but I just don't understand why you're doing it.

June smiled but seemed to think of her answer before she spoke. "Well, I think it's probably because of Daryl. You've changed him somehow. He seems... grounded. And for that to happen to that man, then something monumental must have happened between the two of you."

"But we barely know each other," Carol said.

June shook her head. "Honey, you have to stop looking at it like that. So what if you just met him. So what if the two of you are vastly different. My grandmother used to tell us that souls speak to each other. That's why you can meet someone and although they seem perfectly fine, there's something telling you that there isn't anything there. Then other times you meet someone's eye crossing the street and there's only a look but deep down, you know that they would somehow make a positive impact on your life. You know that if you bothered to stop and say hello, that person would become a huge part of who you are. And then, every once in a while, you meet someone that, against all reason, just fits you. It's because he's the piece of you you've always been missing." She grinned. "Yeah, souls speak to each other. You and Daryl can't control how you feel about each other anymore than I can control the weather. I think Daryl tried. I think he wanted to stay away from you because that pull scared him and he hasn't been afraid of anything for a long long time."

Carol thought about that for a few moments. "That sounds..."

"It's sentimental hogwash is what it is. But it's true all the same. He speaks to you, and you to him without either of you saying a thing. I don't think it happens much anymore because people are programmed to ignore it. We've been so ingrained with social cues and what is and is not acceptable and we dictate our lives by those unspoken rules. But if you think about it, those rules shouldn't apply to matters of the heart. You shouldn't run away from love just because that love doesn't make any sense. It isn't suppose to make sense. It's why it's so dangerous. You don't even wanna know Buck's idea of what it all means." She smiled and grabbed Carol's hand. "Now that's enough of that. Let's get this show on the road."


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter Thirty Three**

Daryl was given his own cell. It wasn't because he had people on the inside pulling strings for him either. It was because he was apparently some sort of menace that had to be kept away from other inmates. He didn't care because he would rather be here than out there dealing with a bunch of dumb asses that had a point to prove. He hated listening to their tales of bad assery when he knew very few of them could actually go toe to toe with him. He'd rather just sit around by himself. He had a lot to think about. A sea of worries to sift through. Misery didn't need company at the moment.

"Hey."

He looked up and saw Martinez. He nodded. "Hey." He wasn't going to blame them. This was all on him and it was high to time he stopped blaming other people for the dumb shit he got himself into. Martinez and Walsh were always sticking their necks out for him.

"Buck and Merle met with Andrea earlier. She's gonna bust her ass on this one so hopefully we'll at least be able to get you bonded out."

"They ain't offerin' bail?" He wasn't surprised.

Martinez shook his head. "Not as of right now. Brought you some books. Paper, and pencils and shit like that. Don't go stabbing any of the guards either. My job's hard enough as it is."

Daryl smiled but he didn't feel like it. "Thanks man."

Martinez studied him for a second before opening the cage and sitting the stack of books by the cot. Daryl raised an eyebrow. "How the fuck long you think I'm gonna be here?"

Martinez sighed. "As of right now, you're court date isn't until July. Unless Andrea can work her magic and get a bail set for you..." He didn't finish the sentence and Daryl felt all his hopes dissipate.

"Three months?"

A stiff nod was all the answer he got before Martinez walked out. The sound of steal slamming against steal had Daryl flinching. There was a feeling of finality to that sound. Three months. A lot of things could change in three months. Hell, things could change in a few days. Three months seemed like a very long time. There was still so much hanging in the air. Things he hadn't been able to get out in the open because it wasn't the right time. Now he wasn't going to get the chance. Did Carol know how he felt about her? Would she use these three months to get her head cleared and realize that his life was just too much for her and meet some guy that was a better fit for her lifestyle?

Maybe some forty something business man would show up at the bakery one day, all charming and dressed in some faggot ass suit, and offers to take her out to some fancy fuck place in his brand new car. He laid back, folding his arms behind his head. It would be a lot more mature than his own approach. Take her to a biker party, get her shit faced and then fuck her in the hallway.

Three months. She would be out there for three months. And he would be here. Wondering what the hell she was doing. He wasn't sure if she would visit. Merle and Buck and the others would watch out for her, keep her safe, but it wasn't like they could beat up guys for talking to her. Well, maybe Merle would. Damon would. Next time he was able to talk to them he was going to tell them to do just that. Fuck being mature about this. Maturity was overrated.

~H~

By the end of the day Carol was in love with everything about the job. June was a talker, and a nurturer, and an insightful loving woman and Carol couldn't wait to spend another day with her. She told Carol about her mother moving them off of a reservation out in Southern Arizona to Georgia when she was still a baby. She had no living family other than Damon. She told Carol about the pros and cons of the life and family that she was now a part of. She had a lot of stories about the Dixons. Her and Odin had met in elementary, started dating in high school and married shortly after she graduated. She promised to bring some pictures of Odin and Buck before the tattoos and beards. She was looking forward to that.

And she realized as they worked side by side that she really was learning a lot from the other woman. She even wrote down a few of Carol's own personal recipes and wanted to try them out tomorrow. And all of the customers were great. All in all, she hadn't had too much time to worry about anything that was happening outside of the bakery. It quickly became her little safe haven. For eight hours anyway. When it was finally quitting time she felt her mood fall drastically.

As soon as she got into the car her phone rang and she answered it quickly. Buck's deep voice rumbled in her ear.

"How you doin', darlin'?"

She smiled slightly. "I love the job. It's distracting."

"That's good cause I got bad news."

Carol's heart sank. "How bad?"

"Three months bad. We're tryin to keep it from goin' to trial. They won't set bail."

"Three months?" She breathed.

"As far as it stands right now but I got people workin' on it. That's worse case scenario."

"Not really. Worse case scenario is it going to trial and then him getting actual prison time."

Buck sighed heavily. "Yeah but I've got strings I can pull. I'm almost sure that won't happen."

"Almost?" She hated the sound of despair that saturated her voice. "And if it does go to trial?"

"It won't."

"But if it does?" She pressed. She wanted to know what they were dealing with.

"Three to five is the least he'll get. That's straight time. But that isn't happening."

"Years?" She whispered, the tears overflowing now.

"Why don't you come on over to the garage. The kids are already here and then I'm gonna send you and Merle out for some food. Get you and Sophia settled in at the house, okay? And don't forget that I'm all over this. He's my boy, and I'll handle it. You gotta trust me."

"Okay. I was thinking about picking up some more stuff of mine and Sophia's ton-"

"It's already done. All your clothes, everything that looked like it belonged to you or your girl is out already."

She breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

"I'll see you in a bit, okay?"

"Bye Buck." She ended the call and then stared at the screen of her phone before she shoved it into her bag. She wiped at her eyes but it did no good. Regardless of what he was to her, she couldn't go three months without seeing him. She just couldn't. She couldn't even fathom years. A lot of things could happen in a matter of years. He could forget all about her in that amount of time.

After she got herself under control, at least to the point where she was no longer crying, she pulled out and headed for the garage. She wanted to make sure Sophia was okay. This was all so much for her to have to go through. Sophia and Daryl weren't close but they liked each other and Sophia had just seen him get arrested that morning. How had their lives become so turned upside down in such a short time?

When she pulled up Merle was outside talking to another man that she had met at the cook out but she couldn't remember his name. She had met a lot of people and keeping track of them all was impossible. She found Sophia with Piper and Damon and a couple of other boys that looked like they fit right in. Sophia, to Carol's surprise, was smiling at something Piper was saying, that carefree look back in her eyes.

When Sophia looked up her smile faded and she hurried over to Carol. "Mom, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"

Carol nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine. From what I hear we're moving tonight."

Sophia nodded. "Yeah, Damon took me by there and it's a nice little place. It's pretty secluded but it isn't far from June and Odin so we won't have to worry about-"

"I don't think we'd have to worry about him anyway, honey. I'm pretty sure he learned his lesson last night. He'll leave us alone."

Sophia looked at her feet for a moment before meeting Carol's eyes again. "I know that all of this is a lot to handle. I know that now, with Daryl gone you feel like you have to handle it all on your own, but I'm here. I'm not a baby anymore and you don't have to handle me. It's me and you, okay? And me and you are a lot tougher than we look. Or we will be."

Carol studied her for a second and realized that she was right. They were tougher than they looked and they would get through it. "I'm going to try to get us an apartment somewhere okay? Something that can just be ours. A fresh start."

"What about when Daryl gets out?" Sophia asked, searching her eyes.

Carol sighed and shook her head. "You to, huh? Sophia, me and Daryl aren't a unit. We're not a couple. He isn't my husband. I want him out of that place just as much as the next person but what do you all expect? The two of us to go house hunting together?"

Sophia held up her hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. I get it. I just thought-"

"Well don't. He's wonderful and I care about him but everyone is under some impression that just isn't true." The words made her chest ache but they needed to be said.

Sophia nodded and grabbed her hand. "Buck's waiting. He wants to talk to you about something before you and Merle leave."

Carol followed her, feeling more tired than she had any right to. After pointing to a closed door Sophia walked away, smiling over her shoulder. She knocked a few times and waited. When the door opened up Randy stepped out, and she felt that initial fear fill her at the site of him but then he grinned, leaned down and actually kissed her cheek.

"Good to see you again, sweetheart."

"I-er- You too Randy." She smiled back and waited for him to walk away before she slipped into the room. Buck was sitting at the head of a huge glossy black table. The walls of the room were paneled in dark wood and photographs lined a long shelf on the far wall. Behind her was a leather couch, a flat screen television sitting on a plush white rug. The contrast to the rest of the garage was startling. This was the room of a very important man. This room screamed power and danger. She swallowed hard before looking at Buck again. The room suited him in every way.

"You want a drink? You look like you could use one, baby girl."

She shook her head and blushed at the affectionate term. "No thank you."

He pointed to the chair to the left of him and she hurriedly sat down. She didn't even want to touch the table top for fear of smudging it. When she met his eyes he was watching her curiously. "You ain't gotta be nervous."

She shook her head and lied. "I'm not."

He smiled and then reached out, raking his thumb along her cheek. She stayed very still, her heart thumping loudly in her chest. When he pulled his thumb back he showed her. "Flour." He wiped it onto his dark jeans and took in a heavy breath. "Daryl ever tell you about the house I bought for his mama?"

She frowned at the topic but shook her head. "No, he never mentioned it. We never really had too much time to talk..."

He cocked one eyebrow at her and she flushed, averting her eyes and clearing her throat. "Anyway," Buck said with a grin, "I was wondering if you could help me out with somethin'?"

She nodded eagerly. "Of course." She would do anything he needed her to do but she couldn't think of any way she could be useful to him.

"That house has sat out there empty for a good many years. About eighteen to be exact. We've kept up on repairs but a house goes to shit real fast when it ain't bein' lived in. Not only that but everything is outdated and all that. I moved out of there damn near as soon as the boys mama passed and I never could bring myself to do a damn thing with it. I'm gonna have my hands full around here and dealin' with all this aftermath. I was wonderin', if I sent some guys out there to fix it up, if you'd let them know what to do. You know, however you would want things to be, you make it happen."

"Me? You want me to be some sort of interior decorator for you?"

He chuckled. "I trust you. Do whatever you want to the place. Just act like it's yours, alright? If I let June take over I'll be having to hire painters to get rid of the pink and yellow."

She smiled at that. "When do you want me to start?"

He shrugged. "I already got the guys ready and the money put back. You just let me know when you feel like it." He got up so she got up with him. He led her to the door, his hand at the small of her back. "You and Merle run and get some take out for these kids and we'll meet you back at the house, alright?"

She nodded. "What about the house we were suppose to stay in? The safe house?"

He nodded. "After dinner. I didn't get a chance to stock up on anything so I want you two to get something to eat before you head out. If you want Merle already offered to go back with you and spend the night."

"I don't think he needs too. You guys have done too much already."

He smiled. "Darlin', I don't think you realize how much _we_ owe _you_." He stepped around her, not giving her a chance to ask him what he was talking about. The only thing she had done was stumble into their lives and cause chaos.


	34. Chapter 34

**Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend! I'm not because people expect me to be social and I am not a very social person. Anyway, I know it's a pain in the ass but I figure if I update faster then we'll get over this hurdle faster so I want to update again this afternoon. Hopefully that will pacify some of you =) Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Thirty Four**

He was pissed. He was beyond pissed. Andrea was suppose to be one of the best and so far she wasn't showing him shit. She sat across from him, her green eyes calculating as he sat there fuming. He had been in this hole for almost a fucking week. A week! And he had held on to a little hope that she would prove that she was worth all the damn money she was costing the club and have his ass out by now. Saturday he had seen Carol for all of ten minutes. Behind a glass wall with a phone up to his ear. She had looked upset, understandably so, but had tried to put on a brave face.

"There's gotta be a way to get me the fuck out of here," he snapped.

She narrowed her eyes. "You didn't leave me much to work with Dixon so you can lose that attitude right now. Whether or not you get out of here any time soon isn't what I'm focused on. I'm focused on keeping this from going to trial and you getting sent to prison for years. Years! So cut me some fucking slack."

He shook his head. "Give it to me straight. How much longer do you think I'm stuck here? Be honest. No sugar coating bullshit."

She met his eyes. "Three months. They aren't budging on it. All I can do now is keep you out of prison and it'd be nice if you'd help me out with that. I mean it, if I can get you out of this you have to stop. I'm not telling you that as your attorney, Daryl, I'm begging you as a friend. Can't you just let things go?"

He barked out a humorless laugh that startled her and caused the guards that were standing by the door to stiffen. He leaned across the table and met her eyes squarely. "Believe it or not, I was workin' on that."

"Well, I don't believe it. I won't until I see it."

He snorted and leaned back in his seat. "Well, I guess that's it then, huh? It's pretty much a done deal that I'm here for three months."

"Actually eleven more weeks. In case that makes it seem a little shorter."

He glared at her. "Thanks."

She patted his hand and stood up. "I mean it. I really hope that this is it for you. If we keep you out of prison, you should start putting a little more thought to your actions. You don't just hurt yourself. It hurts Buck and Merle and Piper too."

"I know that," he grumbled, feeling helpless.

"Then act like it. Please," she said before leaving the room.

He was led back to his cell by one of the asshole guards. A few months ago he would have probably started some shit with the guy. Now he ignored the fact that the guys grip was a lot tighter than it needed to be. He breathed through it. Besides, he was too damn depressed to even put much thought into it.

He was shoved into the cell, the door slamming shut behind him. He didn't say a word. He sat down heavily on the cot and stared down at the awful shoes he had to wear here. They matched the orange jumpsuit he was stuck wearing.

"Good, you're back."

He looked up and saw Shane standing in front of the door, holding up two envelopes and smiling. "What's that? My release papers?"

Shane shook his head.

"Then throw them in the fuckin' trash. I ain't interested," he grumbled.

Shane made a face and looked down. "So you have no interest in a letter from Piper and somebody by the name of Carol?"

Daryl's head came up quickly at that and he hurried to the bars. "Hand'em over."

Shane handed him one of the letters. It was the one from Piper, but he kept the other just out of reach. "I think I need to read this one myself." Shane held the letter up to his nose, breathing deeply. "Christ. I don't think you should have this one, Dixon."

"Shane, I'm gonna rip your goddamn balls off and feed'em to you," he growled.

He sniffed the letter one more time before handing it to him. "She shouldn't do that to you, you know? Sending letters that smell just like a sexy woman. One that you won't be able to touch for a while. It's goddamn cruel."

"Get out you asshole." He called over his shoulder as he sat back down. He waited for Shane to leave before he sniffed the envelope himself. He smiled but Shane was right. It was cruel. This was what she smelled like all the time and it filled him with a slow longing that had his chest feeling tight. He sat that one aside and looked at the letter from Piper. She was a pretty good artist and had sketched a picture of a hand holding up it's middle finger with the message, "Pigs Suck" drawn elaborately under it. He laughed.

When he opened it he found himself grinning. The letter wasn't long but that wasn't all that was in there. She had sent pictures. Could it have seriously only been a week since he had seen these people in person and not behind that stupid glass? There were a few of Buck and Merle, neither looking very happy about getting their picture taken. A couple was of some of the other guys pulling up to the garage on their bikes. Some were of Piper, Damon and Sophia, looking like dorks as they made faces at the camera. He was glad to see that Sophia seemed happy though. Then he came to a picture that Piper must have snapped of Carol and June at work. It was a candid shot of her laughing, her blue eyes shining brightly and a smudge of flour on her forehead. This one actually stung. The next one was even worse. He recognized the safe house right away. It was a picture of Carol, curled up into the corner of the couch, her bare legs tucked under her. Her face looked forlorn as she stared down at a book in her hands and along with the short cut off shorts she was wearing his t-shirt. The one that he had been wearing the day before he had been arrested.

He opened up the letter from Carol with a heavy heart.

 _Dear Daryl,_

 _I don't think you realize how long it's been since I've sat down and actually written a letter to someone. When Piper told me that she was going to write you I figured that maybe you would like a little more reading material. I'm sorry I didn't talk much when I saw you on Saturday. It wasn't easy seeing you like that and I wasn't sure what to say. I know this probably won't make you feel any better but you are the only person I've ever seen that can make orange look sexy. Or maybe I have some strange convict fetish that I wasn't aware of until recently._

 _I miss you. I really hate myself for feeling that way but it doesn't have a turn off switch or anything. It's really kind of stupid, since it isn't like we were able to spend very much time together. I'm about five seconds away from turning this into a sap story so I'm moving on now. I just wanted you to know I'm thinking of you. A lot actually._

 _Sophia is a stranger to me and I couldn't be happier. That sounds weird, I know. She laughs a lot. She smiles for no reason. She doesn't hide anymore. It's taking some getting used to but it's kind of amazing to watch. Damon is always around too and I don't even mind that. He's good for her. He's good to her. I'm happy that she's so happy, even if I am a little envious._

 _I love working with June. I never knew how much I missed having close friends until I was able to get to know her. Her and Odin are so different but that makes their relationship kind of perfect. Who would have thought? Oh, speaking of relationships, I had to turn down a marriage proposal from your friend Randy. He's sweet enough but I just can't get over that eye patch. Depth perception is important to me in a man. He forgave me quickly but he called you quite a few names, since he assumed it was all your fault._

 _Your dad and your brother watch me like a hawk. Merle took me to the grocery store the other day and I ran my cart right into some poor man that works in the building next to the bakery. I felt bad about it because I was in a hurry and walking faster than I should have been so I knew it had to have hurt the guy. After apologizing we struck up a conversation and Merle came out of nowhere demanding to know why the hell the man was chatting up his wife. I don't remember marrying your obnoxious brother so I assume this was just to scare the guy away. Can you tell him to ease up a little? For Christ sakes, my life is far too complicated for me to make it my mission to look for a boyfriend! I can turn men down on my own. The other day we all went on a walk and Damon was eyeballing every male that walked past us. What is it with you Dixons intimidating people for just smiling at a woman?_

 _Well, Piper is fussing at me to wrap this up. I hope that lawyer of yours clears this up real soon. And if not then maybe the next time I see you behind that stupid glass I can think of more to say to you. Take care of yourself and don't worry about any of us. We're all fine._

 _Love always,_

 _Carol_

He read the letter two more times before folding it up and slipping it between the mat and the steel bed. Picking up the two pictures of her he leaned back against the wall, studying them closely. The first one made him smile but the second one, despite the fact that her legs were on display, bothered him. She looked as good as she always did but that sadness in her eyes in that picture bothered him more than he thought it would. He had turned her whole world upside down and now she was on her own to pick up the pieces. Sure, she had the club and that was no small thing, but she didn't have him. And from the way it looked she wouldn't for a long time.


	35. Chapter 35

**I'm sorry, you guys! I know what's happened is sad but that's why I'm updating fast. So we can get it over with and you can enjoy the story again! I won't make you all wait forever! Now, I'm off to go be social. I'll update again tonight! I feel so guilty! Thanks for hanging on there!**

 **Chapter Thirty Five**

June didn't mind that Carol had to miss work. She had told her about her appointment last week on the day she had started so she had plenty of time to figure something else out. She parked in one of the underground garages and took the elevator up to the floor she had scribbled down on the paper, what seemed like a few lifetimes ago. She tried to push her fear aside and tell herself that everything was going to be fine. She wasn't pregnant. This scare was just something that could keep her on her toes. She wouldn't be forgetting that shot again, even if no one called to remind her that it was time for her to get it.

She signed in and sat down to fill out all of the paperwork. Once that was finished she was left sitting there with nothing but her thoughts. And just like always, her thoughts turned to Daryl. The way he had looked Saturday had bothered her. More than bothered her really. It broke her heart. He looked like a man that had somehow managed to lose everything very quickly. His usual mischievous grin was gone. That fire in his eyes that had always captivated her was dimmed. He simply looked sad. And she felt the same way. She had wanted nothing more than to touch him. To show him that this was just a bump in the road for him and that soon he would be back with his family, doing whatever it was that he had always done.

So, with a heavy heart she had come home, changed into the t-shirt she had stolen from his room, and wrote him a letter like some kind of love sick teenager. He actually should have gotten it this morning. She hoped that it brightened his day at least a little and managed to make him smile. She missed the hell out of that devil may care look of his.

"Mrs, Peletier?"

She looked up sharply at the sound of her name and realized that the waiting area had been filling up while she sat there lost in thought. Most of the women sitting in chairs looked about ready to burst. She hurriedly followed the nurse through the door, down a long hallway and finally into an exam room. The nurse checked her clipboard and glanced up with a smile.

"If you want you can go ahead and roll up your sleeve, Mrs. Peletier. I can go ahead and draw your blood right now. Normally patients have to wait a few days before we can get the results back but we finally received some new equipment that lets us check on our own."

Carol nodded and offered her her arm. She wasn't afraid of needles or having her blood taken. She was afraid of what the results would be. She took a few deeps breaths as the nurse took her blood and then left the room, assuring her that the doctor would be in after the test was performed. So again she was left sitting there, wondering what his reaction would be if it turned out to be positive. How could she tell him while he was in jail, possibly facing years in prison?

"I won't," she said out loud. If she was indeed pregnant with his child and it turned out that he did have to go to trial then he wouldn't have to go while worrying about his baby. In a way, this seemed cruel, to keep a secret so large, but she knew him well enough to know that, even if he didn't want a child, he would never be able to survive going away for that long knowing he had one out there somewhere.

She glanced around the small exam room, looking at the pictures and diagrams of development. She remembered back when she had been pregnant with Sophia. She had loved the baby from the moment she learned that she was pregnant with her. It hadn't mattered that she was nothing but a teenager herself. She knew that her dreams of going to college wouldn't be attainable but that hadn't mattered. She had also dreamed of traveling but losing out on that hadn't bothered her either. The only thing that had mattered was that there was a person growing inside her. A person who's possibilities were limitless.

Ed hadn't been happy about it. He hadn't been openly hostile either. He had been aloof. He hadn't marveled at the fact that he was going to be a father. He had actually complained about the changes in Carol's body. He had made her feel disgusting through most of it, refusing to touch her at all, even when Sophia had started moving and could easily be felt. He just hadn't cared. He had been kind and attentive up until the moment they found out that she was pregnant. He had never been the kind of man that Daryl had been. He had never treated her that well. But he had absolutely shut her out once he found out about the baby. Why she married him in the first place, she would never know.

Daryl wouldn't do the same. Surely he wouldn't.

She swallowed hard and then laughed at herself. What the hell was she doing to herself? She probably wasn't even pregnant and now she was sitting here with her heart beating much to fast and causing herself to feel sick with worry over something that she likely wouldn't even have to worry about.

She wasn't sure how much more time passed before the door opened and the doctor that usually administered her shot came in. She took this as a good sign. He smiled at her and pulled out a rolling chair from under the counter.

"Mrs. Peletier," he said in greeting.

"Hello Dr. Browning."

He looked down at the clipboard, looking at different sheets of paper before finally looking up at her. "Mr. Peletier, can you tell me when your last cycle was?"

She shook her head. "No, I can't. While I was on the shot I stopped having one."

He nodded and looked back down at the paper. "I see. Well, the test showed that your hCG level is twenty one."

She blinked. "Okay. So does that mean I can get my shot and be on my way?"

He smiled. "It actually means that I'm going to go ahead and leave you a gown to change into so we can do a quick exam to find out how far along you are."

She blinked again, his words not registering clearly in her mind. As they did she felt as though the floor had fallen out from under her. She had prepared for this. She had told herself that this was a possibility. She had tried to prepare herself for the news. She took a deep breath, trying to settle her nerves. This was not a bad thing. This was not a dire situation. As a matter of fact, her emotions turned rapidly. She was going to have a baby. And not just any baby. She was going to have Daryl's baby. She swallowed, a lump forming in her throat. "Are you sure?"

"I am about as sure as I can be."

She wasn't going to worry right away. She had time to figure this out. She had time to do what she needed to do. She would be okay.

~H~

Sophia sat down at their regular table alone. Everyone else managed to get detention until Friday, which left her with the loner status she started out with. It also made her the subject of more than a little ridicule. It was clear that the only reason anyone had left her alone at all was because she was one of Piper's group. But that was all she was. She was a tag along that could reap the rewards of being friends with the bad kids. No one looked at her as though she were any kind of threat. Mostly because she really wasn't one.

"Hi," Sara said with a grin as she sat down across from Sophia.

Sophia's defenses came up quickly as the other kids sat down at the table. She didn't say anything. Instead she continued eating her sandwich and pretended like they weren't even there.

"Oh wow," Sara laughed. "As soon as her boyfriend gets thrown in detention she goes all mute on us again. That's perfect."

Sophia looked up then, meeting Sara's cold eyes with a glare of her own. She was tired of just putting up with crap all the time. She didn't ever go out of her way to cause any trouble for anyone else and she never treated people badly, and yet, here she sat. She was the butt of their jokes again.

"Aww, are you getting mad? You know, rumor has it around town that your mom was Daryl Dixon's last conquest. You do realize that as soon as he kicks her to the curb, your days of having a free ride on the white trash express are over."

Sophia felt her jaw clench. "You don't know a damn thing about me or my mom." Talking about her was one thing but she wouldn't sit quietly as they said things about her mom, or Daryl for that matter.

Sara rolled her eyes. "Oh come on. You don't have it in you to be one of them. Why don't you just give it up and face the facts that you are a nobody."

"Being a nobody is a lot better than being the school cum dumpster you self righteous bitch. Stop treating my name like it's every dick in this school and keep it out of your mouth."

Sara's mouth dropped open in shock as her friends started laughing. Sophia had had enough. She stood up quickly and started stalking towards the doors. She stopped when she felt fingers grip her arm to try to stop her. She spun around, her eyes flashing.

Sara's face was bright red and only a few inches from her own. "Who in the hell do you think you are talking to me like that!" She shrieked, her fingers digging into Sophia's arm hard enough to leave marks.

Sophia took Piper's advice. She stopped thinking about what she was going to do. Don't think. Act. That was what Piper had said. So she did just that. She shoved Sara away from her so hard that the girl stumbled back several feet. Sophia should have walked away right then. But that isn't what she did. Instead she stalked towards the girl that had made her life at school a living hell before Piper had befriended her. Sara caught her balance but by then Sophia was right there. She slapped the girl so hard that her head whipped to the side painfully.

She had never hit anything in her whole life. No matter what the situation, she always handled it by keeping her eyes down and her mouth shut. Not anymore. She wasn't some door mat to be walked on. She was a person and she deserved to be treated with respect just like everyone else. Maybe if Sara had only talked about her then she would have been okay. But she had said things about her mom and Daryl and Damon and Piper. That was her family and she wouldn't let someone get away with talking about them like that.

She didn't put up a fight when suddenly there were two teachers there, yelling at her to go to the office.


	36. Chapter 36

**I told you I was updating this fast so we could get past the hump, and damn it, I will deliver. Being sociable today wasn't as bad as I thought it would be! It never really is. Thank you for reading!**

 **Chapter Thirty Six**

Carol drove back in a daze. She was riding an emotional roller coaster and she was barely hanging on. She was elated. She was scared to death. She had no idea what to do about this. She was going to stick by her decision though. Or she thought she was going to anyway. She wouldn't tell him about it until she knew that he wasn't going to be sent to prison for three to five years. She wouldn't have him sit there and worry about it.

And then there was that terrifying thought of him being angry about it. He hadn't ever mentioned that he wanted children. Of course, they had never talked about it before, but he didn't seem like the paternal type. He was like the big brother that kids could get into trouble with. But then again, sometimes people changed the way they looked at life when they realized that they were going to be a parent. Either way, she wouldn't tell anyone, not even June, not even her daughter, until he was home and she could talk to him about it. It wouldn't be fair to him to tell the others and it wouldn't make his life any easier knowing about it since, for now, he was stuck in jail.

She had been gone for most of the afternoon so she wasn't very surprised to see all the vehicles in Buck's driveway. At times, several people gathered at the Dixon home instead of the garage. She didn't come here every day but today was the day she was suppose to get to work on that house he had been telling her about. He had taken her there on Saturday after they had gone to see Daryl. He must have known that she desperately needed a distraction and he had certainly given her one.

The house was just a few miles from his own and as soon as her eyes had landed on it she fell so deeply in love with it that she had nearly forgotten about all of their troubles. It was a large house but not so large that it was imposing. It was an old two story Queen Anne style home with a deep wrap around porch, large bay windows, Dutch gables, overhanging eaves, and an impressive three story tower on the south side with a large balcony over the front porch. They didn't make houses like that anymore because there was simply too much that went into them. The varying textures, the spindle work, the columns.

All of it was so intricate, almost breathtaking in it's beauty that when she first saw it, other than her initial awe, she felt deeply sad for Buck. He and his wife had planned on raising a family here. They had loved the house, her in particular but Buck was so heartbroken over the loss of her that he couldn't bear to live in it. She had felt sad for Buck, sad for Daryl's mother and even sad for the house itself. This was a place meant for people to _live_. The thought of it standing empty for nearly two decades was awful.

But today was the day that she was going to get to start on it. She wasn't sure if she would be able to focus on the task but she was willing to give it a try. She was surprised to see Merle come out of Buck's house as soon as she pulled up.

"Now, just remember that she's the good one and just because she may have fucked up this one time doesn't mean you gotta be hard on her. She's had a rough week," he said before she even made it to him.

The only person that he could possibly be talking about was her daughter. She groaned. "What's happened now?"

"Well, Piper and the rest of them had detention because of that stunt they pulled the other day. As soon as those asshole kids saw that Sophia was by herself they started their shit again."

"What- Shit did they start? I never knew she had any trouble at school."

Merle shrugged. "That's kind of the whole reason Piper and Sophia even met. Some of the kids were giving Sophia a hard way to go and Piper... intervened."

"So, what did she do today?" Carol asked as they made their way to the door.

"The girl grabbed her first," Merle said defensively.

"And then what happened?" Carol asked, letting herself in the front door.

"She damn near slapped her face off," Merle said quickly, but like I said..."

"Yes, I heard you Merle," Carol sighed.

She found Sophia on the couch with Piper. Sophia was sitting up with a book in her lap and Piper was turned upside down with her legs draped over the back of the couch and her head hanging off, apparently enjoying watching T.V. upside down.

"What happened at school?" Carol asked, causing both girls to look up at her.

Sophia placed a book mark in the book and closed it. "I got in a fight. Kind of."

Carol put her hands on her hips. "Why in the world would you do that?"

"I told you why she did it," Merle spoke up from behind her. "That girl had it comin'."

"Merle, she can't just go around hitting people."

"I don't just go around hitting people. I don't hit people and I don't back talk and I don't make them feel like crap about themselves for no reason. But I sure take it a lot. I'm not taking their crap anymore, mom. I'm tired of being somebodies punching bag."

Merle elbowed Carol in the side lightly. "See. That ain't a bad thing. She shouldn't have to put up with their shit."

"Tell your mom what you called her. That was almost better than you slapping the crap out of her," Piper said with a grin that looked odd since she was still upside down and she was still staring at the T.V.

"Piper, stop tryin' to help," Merle warned.

"No, I'm curious. What did you call her before you decided to hit her, Sophia?"

Sophia flushed and looked away. "She was talking about all of us. I had to say something."

"Like?" Carol pressed, glancing at Merle.

He put his hands up. "Hey, I didn't hear about this part."

"It's the best part," Piper laughed.

Sophia's blush grew darker. "She called me a nobody and I told her that... I told her that I would rather be a nobody than-"

"Go on," Carol urged.

"I said I'd rather be a nobody than the school cum dumpster."

Carol's mouth fell open and Merle let loose with a fit of laughter. More laughter could be heard coming from the other room and Carol knew that Buck and the rest of them heard what she said. Sophia looked horrified and then Carol surprised herself when a bubble of laughter escaped her. She covered her mouth quickly but Sophia had saw her. She schooled her face. "That was a horrible thing to say to that girl."

"She said worse," Sophia grumbled. "Well, maybe not worse but she still had it coming."

Carol felt heavy hands land on her shoulders, giving her a reassuring squeeze. The touch was familiar and not unwelcome. Buck's deep rumbling voice sounded from behind her. "She landed in detention for the rest of the week with the other delinquents. You know, cause the smart thing to do to punish the girl is put her right there with all her friends."

Merle scowled. "She don't need punished. She didn't do anything wrong. Come on, I'm suppose to be the hard ass around here. Ask anybody, and I wouldn't get on Piper's shit for that. Hell, I didn't yell at her for doing what she did to land herself in Juvie! And it's the same damn loud mouth little girl that got Piper in trouble."

Buck sighed and dropped his hands. "He's right. The girl is a pain in the ass."

Sophia looked up. "Thank you."

Carol was at a loss. She shook her head and threw her arms up. "So what would you two like to suggest?"

Buck and Merle shrugged. "She should have to polish the bikes. All three of them."

"Four!" Damon called from the kitchen.

Sophia's eyes went wide. "You can't be serious!"

Carol nodded. "I am. I do agree that you shouldn't have to put up with that girl but you can't run around hitting people."

Piper rolled off the couch and crossed her legs Indian style. "Why not?"

Carol rolled her eyes and looked at Merle. "That one is all on you, big boy. I'm not touching it."

Merle laughed and collapsed onto the couch, throwing his arm over Sophia. She made a face. "Merle, please! You're covered in sweat."

Merle grinned, waggled his eyebrows and shoved her face into his armpit. Damon strolled in then, grinning and then reaching over the back of the couch to haul Sophia away from what was obviously a horrible experience. She tried to kick Merle on her way over but he was already reaching down to grab Piper, who was trying hard to flea.

"No you sick bastard!" Piper wailed as he dragged her towards him by her ankle and then put her in a head lock. "You smell like a dirty jock strap! Buck! Do something!"

"Don't expect me to kiss you after that," Damon said to Sophia who slapped his chest.

"I say we get the hell outta here," Buck said, throwing his arm over Carol's shoulder. "I already got some guys out there at the old house, no time like the present."

"You sure you want me to do this? I've always liked putting things together like that but I've never actually been able to do it. Ed was always the one to make decisions about his house."

Buck led her outside, taking her hand and leading her towards his bike. "Then this'll be good for you. Have some fun while you can. Didn't you say you found yourself an apartment somewhere close to the bakery?"

She nodded and made a face. She had found the apartment yesterday after work. She hadn't even really been looking for anything but she had seen the for rent sign outside the building and had stopped. It was suppose to have been a two bedroom apartment, and she supposed it was, if all you wanted to put in your bedroom was a twin bed. And neither of those "bedrooms" had a closet. She was pretty sure it was because the bedrooms actually _were_ the closets. The carpets were dingy, the windows were painted shut. It had no air conditioning. The bathroom was so small you could use the toilet, brush your teeth and run your bath water all at the same time. The tiles in the kitchen were cracked and some were missing altogether.

"Why are you so damn stubborn? You can stay at the little house as long as you want. Rent free. Or you can stay with us. You're here all the time anyway."

She shrugged. "It has less to do with me being stubborn and more to do with, I just want to prove that I can do something on my own."

"Stubborn," he muttered. "Hey, where did you have to go today? June mentioned you didn't go to work cause you had to drive to Atlanta." He straddled the bike and offered her his hand while she climbed onto the back of it.

He was looking at her over his shoulder so she made sure she kept her face schooled. "I just had a doctors appointment. It was nothing."

He turned his torso so he could get a better look at her. "You sure you're okay?"

She nodded and patted his shoulder. "If I wasn't then I wouldn't be so ready to get out there so I could look at that house again and die a little inside because it isn't mine."

He chuckled, and started the bike. His bike didn't look like it was built for speed. It looked like it was meant to be as intimidating as the man that road it. She had never known how much she would like riding until the other day when Buck had insisted she get on. He hadn't been able to believe that she was Merle's age and had never ridden a bike before. And just like with almost everything else about the life these men led, she loved it. She felt safe with these men. She felt like nothing bad could happen to her when she was with them. She just wished that Daryl was with her too. There was so much she wanted to say to him.

In due time. He would know everything in due time. Her arms tightened around Buck's waist as they sped down the straight road towards the old house and he patted her hands affectionately. She had a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach that somehow, everything would be okay. With this incredible family in her corner, how could things not be?


	37. Chapter 37

**I wanted to update this morning but I couldn't get fanfiction to load! I'm sorry! This chapter is damn short so I'll update again this evening! I'm doing a bit of time jumping but nothing major. Thanks for reading and thanks for the love! You guys are awesome!**

 **Chapter Thirty Seven**

Morning sickness was something she hadn't suffered from when she had been pregnant with Sophia. Sure, she had felt bad for a few weeks and had even gotten sick a couple of times. But it was nothing like this. And it came on like a freight train only a week after she had been to the doctor. She had been dealing with it for weeks now and it didn't seem to be easing up on her at all. It had gotten to the point where she had actually gone back to the doctor. He had told her to keep drinking plenty of fluids and had written her a prescription for something but she refused to have it filled. Medication was off limits. She didn't feel right taking something that could potentially harm the baby just so she could feel better.

Today was one of those days that it didn't seem to want to relent. She had been fine when she had woken up. Or as fine as she ever felt. Her and Sophia had managed to make it to Buck's before the vomiting hit her. She had eaten very little. A small bowl of cereal and, of course, the never ending Gatorade.

As soon as they walked into the house and the smell of eggs assaulted her nose she felt her gorge rise. Buck and Merle watched helplessly as she hurried to the bathroom, not even having time to shut the door before the contents of her stomach were coming up like someone had turned on a faucet.

"Goddamn it," Merle grumbled, coming into the bathroom like she wasn't humiliated enough.

She couldn't even tell him to get out but at least he shut the door behind him so it was just the two of them. Just like she knew he would he knelt down behind her and pulled her hair back, his large hand rubbing soothing circles into her back. This wasn't the first time he had done this. It wasn't going to be the last. Both men, despite their fierce appearances and intimidating presence, seemed to turn into mother hens whenever they saw her anymore.

When she finally seemed to be over the worst of this round he handed her a glass of water, which she took gratefully. She rinsed out her mouth and spit into the toilet, handing the glass back and flushing. She didn't feel like she had the strength to even get up. She felt completely helpless and with Daryl gone she felt such an overwhelming sense of loneliness that it had her chest tightening. What had she gotten herself into? How was she going to do this? Maybe she could deal with the emotional aspect of it if her physical being wasn't being wrung through the wringer. But she felt beaten, both inside and out.

She was surprised when Merle sat down on the floor, his back leaning against the tub. Through tears that never seemed to stop flowing lately she met his eyes. He looked as helpless as she felt and it was that moment that she almost spilled all of her secrets to him. Would he keep them? She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but nothing came out. Just a pathetic whimper that had him dropping his eyes and shaking his head. He grabbed her arm, pulling her towards him and she didn't fight him. She didn't want to. She felt so completely alone that she was willing to do anything just to feel close to someone. She ended up sitting sideways on his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck while she cried into his chest.

He kept his arms around her. She never would have imagined that he had it in him to offer so much of himself but then she remembered that, even though he didn't know what was happening with her, he knew his own torment. She knew the story of how he had been eighteen when he suddenly learned that he had a child. A child that he was suppose to watch die. He may not understand what she was going through but he did understand pain.

So she sat there for a long time, finding solace in the most unlikely of places. It would probably look bad to anyone looking in, but it wasn't like that. Merle didn't want her any more than she wanted him. She knew that he felt like he owed it to his brother to do whatever he could for her. If that meant he had to hold her hair while she threw up and then let her sob all over him afterwords, then that's what he would do.

Once she had herself under control a little bit she felt like a complete idiot. She pulled away, swiping at her face and muttering a half hearted apology. He stood up and offered her his hand wordlessly. She let him pull her up from the floor, her hand going to her stomach.

Buck was in the kitchen, cleaning up the breakfast dishes. Piper and Sophia were still sitting at the table, both girl's watching her with concern.

"You ate anything?" Buck asked gruffly.

"Cereal this morning," she muttered, feeling a little sick just talking about it.

Buck grumbled something under his breath and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and sat it down in front of her. She looked at it, knowing that they were all staring at her. She took a tentative drink, fought the nausea that welled up in her, took one more for good measure.

"I called June. You ain't goin' in today," Buck said, sitting down across from her.

Carol shook her head. "I can't keep missing work. I'll be fine. She needs the help."

Buck folded his hands on the table. "You're goddamn lucky I don't pick your ass up, throw you in the goddamn truck and haul you off to the emergency room, cause trust me, that's exactly what I wanna do. So if I tell you that you ain't workin' today then you best listen."

She felt a headache coming on so she took another drink of water. "I told you the doctor already told me that it's just some virus going around. That's all. He said I can work."

"And you're a goddamn liar," he snapped.

"Buck," Merle growled, a clear warning in his voice.

Buck ran a hand through his hair and glanced towards the girls that were watching them.

The doorbell ringing gave them an excuse to leave the room and they both bolted from their chairs. Sophia kissed Carol's cheek. "I'll see you later mom," she said quickly, hurrying after Piper.

Carol kept her eyes on the water bottle but she could sense Buck watching her. She picked at the label absently, hating his scrutiny. She knew that she should just tell them. They were worried about her. They actually cared about her. But the thought of them knowing before Daryl didn't sit well with her. It wasn't right and it wasn't fair to him. And she couldn't tell him until he was out and even then she was afraid of how he would react. He was bound to think that she did this on purpose to trap him.

"Listen," Buck said, forcing his voice from raising, "You gotta fuckin' tell us if this is something serious, alright? If it's bad, if it's... If it's something that can end up killing you, we need to know. We can help you."

She felt herself tearing up again but she didn't look up.

Merle spoke up then. "Why don't you just go on and try to get some rest, alright? Go to Daryl's room, go take you a nap on the couch. I don't care, but I can tell you ain't been sleepin' good. Can you at least do that?"

She nodded and grabbed the bottle, taking it with her. She couldn't bare to sleep in his room. It would just make her miss him more and she couldn't stand the thought of that. Merle actually came to the living room after a few minutes. She didn't want to know what him and Buck had been talking about. He lifted her legs and sat down on the far end, placing them in his lap.

"Are you dying?" He asked bluntly. "Just answer me that and I'll leave you be. I'll do whatever I can and I won't ask again. I just need to know. Is it cancer? Aids? Goddamn," he shook his head.

She stared at him. "I'm not dying Merle. I'm just sick. I'm really sick. And I think all of this with Daryl is just making it worse. I'll get over this and be fine."

He nodded, his eyes going to the television. She felt so bad for putting them through this. She was thinking about just distancing herself from all of them until they found out Daryl's fate but the thought had her panicking. She sat up and moved until she was tucked into his side. She closed her eyes when she heard him sigh and for the first time in a while, she fell into a deep sleep.


	38. Chapter 38

**Sorry! When it rains my internet connection messes up a lot! I meant to get this up sooner! Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Thirty Eight**

Four weeks. He had been locked up for four fucking weeks and he was about to hit somebody. He had taken all of the shit that the asshole guards threw him without complaint. And goddamn he could have complained too. He could have talked to a few of his guys and had them get in touch with the bastards. And by get in touch with the bastards he meant have his guys break a crow bar over their knee caps.

He paced the cage like an animal. He had seen his family once a week since he had gotten locked up but that wasn't good enough. Carol came to see him a few days ago too and she had looked bad. She said it was some kind of flu but it looked like she had lost weight and she was pale and he needed to get the fuck out of this place to make sure she was alright. Even Merle and Buck were getting worried about her. Especially since she had moved out of the safe house and into some dump of an apartment in a shitty ass neighborhood. He had even gotten a letter from Piper telling him how worried Sophia was. How Sophia had told her about how she was getting sick all the time and could barely keep food down at all and she had trouble sleeping.

It was all too much. Too much because he couldn't do a fucking thing about any of it. Buck had told him that he had nearly begged her to just leave the apartment and move in with him and Merle. At least until she found something better, but she had refused.

The shittiest thing about it all was the fact that he had known her for going on six weeks now. Six fucking weeks. And four of them he had spent here.

"Hey, Dixon."

His head snapped up. He had been expecting one of the guards but it wasn't. It was Shane. "Has Andrea shown up yet?" He snapped, storming over to the bars.

Shane shook his head. "Not yet. And I just got some bad news and some good news. Which do you want first."

Daryl pushed himself away from the bars and paced some more, running his hands through his hair. "You can't be serious."

Shane nodded. "I'll start with bad news then. Apparently Dave is willing to testify against you at trial. You know if he gets up there and starts singing, you might not be the only one going down for something. He's been around you guys for a long time now. He has to know shit that can open up a world of hurt on all of you."

Daryl stared at him, his stomach sinking. Dave had been released from the hospital but no one had been able to find him to have a "chat". "So it's set then? I'm going to trial?"

Shane looked at the floor. "So far it looks that way. From what I've found out they are collecting every ounce of evidence they can to put you away for at least a few years. You need to get on their ass about finding him. You won't get out of this at all if they have a star witness."

He sat down, his hands shaking. "Maybe you shoulda given me the good news, brother. I don't think anything you say now is gonna matter."

The corner of Shane's mouth turned up but the smile didn't meet his eyes. "We'll see."

Daryl looked up but Shane was walking away. Had the dumb ass forgotten to tell him the good news? He looked at the walls, scanning the one that contained all of his photos Piper had sent. He needed to get the hell out. He needed to figure something out. He felt like everything was falling apart out there and he couldn't do anything about it.

"Here you go asshole. The good news."

He sighed and turned his head, wishing now that Shane would just get the fuck out and leave him alone. That was, until he saw who was with Shane. Shane, who had that cocky grin on his face, but Daryl barely even saw it. Carol was standing next to him, smiling and offering him a small wave. He stood up, his heart knocking against his ribs in a frantic rhythm.

Shane unlocked the door and gently pushed her inside. "You got thirty minutes Dixon. It's all I could manage. And don't make me come back in here and see your naked ass either. Keep it clean."

Daryl saw heat rise in her cheeks but all he could do was give Shane a stiff nod before the man locked her inside and walked away. Her eyes were wide as she took in the small space before finally landing on him. He was frozen in place, not even sure what to do. "What are you doin' here?" He finally asked.

"I just... I don't know. I was telling June that I had to see you. She got on her phone and a little while later she told me to come here and ask for Shane Walsh. I probably shouldn't have. I don't want him to get in trouble. I just..." Her voice trailed off and her eyes filled with tears. "This is awful. I don't want you to have to live in this place."

He swallowed hard, unsure what to do. He didn't know how to handle this kind of thing and he wasn't used to her being emotional. Sure, the night that everything came to a head with Ed had been rough but that was understandable. He grabbed her hand, a jolt going through him because he'd wanted to touch her for so long and hadn't been able too. She slammed into him hard, her arms going around his neck. His breath left in a rush and he buried his face in her neck, breathing deeply. He'd missed the smell of her. His arms came around her and he frowned, letting his hands roam over her back to her waist and then up her ribcage. She had lost a lot of weight.

"It ain't that bad. Check it out, Piper even sends me shit to hang up to make it more like home," he muttered pulling her back by her arms and nodding towards the wall by his bed. She looked over and her lips turned up but her eyes were killing him.

"You have some of me. Where did you get all these?" She asked, her arms going around him again.

"Piper. You know, you ain't gotta wear that shirt all the time when you're at the house. I got more in the closet."

She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder. "Those don't smell like you. That's the last one you wore."

He forced a laugh even though every time his hands moved over her he became even more distraught. She wasn't just sick. There was something seriously wrong with her for her to go from healthy to this in just a month. "You know, you can always just go back to Buck's. I ain't washed those sheets in months so I know that bed has to smell like me."

She shook her head, tightening her hold on him. "I need to be on my own. I don't want to have to depend on somebody else to take care of me. I've never taken care of myself before. I need to learn to start."

He didn't want to argue with her. The last thing he wanted to do was start a fight. He was damn lucky that Shane was doing this for him. He thought it would be a long time before he would be able to touch her again. Talking to her from behind that fucking glass was torture. Not just because he wanted to touch her but because there was something more, something big going on with her and nobody knew what the hell it was. "Will you tell me something?" He asked, trying to sound as calm as he could.

She nodded.

"Is there somethin' going on with you that you ain't telling anybody? Sophia tells Piper that you're sick, you've been sick for weeks and it's bad. I can tell it's bad. But when anybody mentions it you just blow it off like it's nothing. I'm stuck but Buck can help you."

She shook her head. "I'm fine."

"You look like shit, Carol. I can feel your bones! You ain't fine," he growled.

She pulled her head back, fresh tears filling her eyes all over again. "That's a horrible thing to say."

He groaned. "I didn't mean it like that! Goddamn it."

"Then how exactly am I suppose to take it when you tell me I look like shit?"

"I just mean you don't look like you."

"I look like me, just a crappy looking version."

"Carol," he snapped. "There's somethin' wrong and you ain't telling me what it is. You look sick. That's all I'm sayin'."

She shook her head, grabbed the sides of his face and pulled him towards her. She kissed him hard, surprising him. He grunted and wrapped his arms around her waist but he didn't hold her to tight. She seemed fragile. Not just her body either. She was a fucking mess. There was a desperate edge to this kiss that scared the hell out of him and he hated not knowing what was wrong, or how to help. He did all he could do for now and he simply kissed her back. His hands slid from the small of her back to her ass.

"Thank God," he muttered against her lips.

"Hmm?"

"You're skinny as fuck now but so far your ass is still there. Had me worried for a second." He made jokes because if he didn't then he was going to lose his mind. He didn't like being lied too but he knew she was lying for a reason. That and... well, he actually was glad that her ass was still very much the same as it had always been.

She laughed. "I miss you."

He sobered immediately, his chest tightening. "Yeah, I know the feelin'."

"Don't worry about me, okay? As soon as you get out of here everything will be fine."

"You tellin' me that the only thing wrong with you is me bein' locked up?"

She kissed him again, quickly this time. "That's actually a huge part of it. I haven't been feeling well. A lot has happened and things are all crazy right now and my nerves just can't seem to handle it. Working on the house helps but-"

"What house?" He asked, his brows pulling together.

"Buck's old house. He said he's ready to fix it up and rent it out and he gave me free reign. I'm the one picking out everything. Paint, wall paper, curtains, how to set the rooms up. I feel better when I'm there. As soon as I walk in it kinda feels like everything might be okay. I wish I could afford it. I can't believe Merle doesn't just take it. Buck said he offered it to him and Piper."

Daryl stared at her, his eyes wide. Buck never told him this. Any of this. He had told Buck that he was ready. That he wanted the house and eventually he'd ask her to live in it with him. He had no idea Buck was doing all of this behind his back. That old bastard was a genius. She was going to get everything she wanted and he didn't have to stress about any of it. Well, about anything other than getting his ass out of jail and away from prison.

"Are you upset? I thought you knew. I wasn't even thinking. That was your mom's house-"

"Nah. I'm glad he's doin' it. It's sat there empty for too damn long," he said.

She nodded. "A house like that has no business sitting empty."

"I agree."

"Have you heard anything? When is this gonna be over?" She asked, her voice taking on that shaky quality.

He shook his head but he had to be honest with her. "It ain't lookin' good. Right now it's just all up in the air. Dave is gonna testify, the prosecutor is pushing for a trial, Andrea ain't been able to do a damn thing other than push the trial date back. But you gotta get it together. I can't be stuck in here worrying about you. It's drivin' me fuckin' crazy."

She swallowed hard and nodded. "I can do that. Or I can at least try."

"Will you leave that dump and move in with Buck?" He asked eagerly, since she seemed to be in an agreeable mood now.

She shook her head. "I need to do this."

"Why?"

"Because I do."

"That's stupid. You're just being stubborn cause you can. I know Sophia don't wanna be there."

"Daryl we don't have much time left. I don't want to fight with you." She searched his face and then hugged him tightly. He couldn't do a damn thing but stand there and hug her back, dreading the seconds that seemed to be flying past them.


	39. Chapter 39

**Hey! I know you guys are beyond ready for this separation to be over. Not much longer now, I promise I wouldn't write a story where they stay apart the whole time! I know stories like this are hard to stick with sometimes. It will work out =) Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Thirty Nine**

Carol still felt a little shaken but she was getting better. Seeing him and actually being able to feel him against her had seemed to put her back together and rip her into pieces all at the same time. He was so worried about her. More than worried really. He seemed scared for her and he wasn't scared of anything. She felt like crying again and not stopping. She hated herself right now. Hated herself because she had came to a decision to leave if he didn't get out. If he had to serve a heavy sentence then she was going to take Sophia and go. She would start over somewhere else. She wouldn't let him suffer even more than he would end up suffering already.

She hated herself even more because she knew, deep down, she would never ever be able to go through with it. He would know, and he would suffer for it. If he went to prison he would have to go knowing he had a child.

"You feelin' better?" Merle asked, swiping at a smudge of paint on his forehead.

She nodded. "I think so. I hope Shane doesn't get in any trouble. I just needed to see him I guess."

"Looks like it done you some good. Got some color back in your face. You wanna grab somethin' to eat?" He watched her as she ran her hand over the polished wood of the banister.

The mention of food had her stomach swirling with nausea and she shook her head quickly. "No, I think I'd rather just finish up here."

"When was the last time you ate anything?"

"Merle-"

"When?" He snapped, his eyes hard.

"June made me some soup and brought it in. I ate some before I went to see Daryl."

"Did it stay down?" He asked wearily.

"Yes, actually. It did. She's making some more and said she'll bring it by tonight."

"You know, if I let anything happen to you while he's in there, he's gonna run me over when he gets out. Why don't you just go back to the damn doctor? Buck offered to pay for it. I offered to take you. You're wastin' away to nothin' woman."

"I'm fine, Merle."

"Buck asked me the other day if I thought you were pregnant," he said, a frown between his eyes.

She was amazed that she was able to keep her face schooled. "Merle, I knew your brother for a few weeks before he got sent away. I'm thirty four years old. Do you think I'm stupid enough to let something like that happen?"

"No. That's what I told him. I guess he was just hoping that it wasn't somethin' bad."

"Are you done with the kitchen?" She asked, knowing if he didn't shut up then she was going to cry.

He growled but nodded. "We're down to that one room upstairs. Other than that I can't think of a damn thing left to do."

She nodded. "I'll take care of the last room. It's important to make it as perfect as possible. Somebody is going to love this place."

He nodded, his eyes taking in all of the progress they had made over the last month. "You're right. It's about damn time too."

She wrapped her arm around his and smiled sadly. "What do you think he'll end up getting out of this place?"

Merle shrugged. "I don't know. He won't try to get a whole lot. He just wants somebody here. Houses go to shit when they ain't lived in."

"Why didn't Daryl ever want this place?" She asked, glancing up at him.

He shrugged. "This place was meant for a family, not some single guy."

The words were like acid to her already frayed emotions. She was being ridiculous and she knew it but it wasn't like she could control it. She tried to slip away so he wouldn't see her tears but he saw them anyway and jerked her back.

"What the hell did I say?" He asked, his eyes wide and frantic.

She blinked the tears away and stared at him. "Nothing." She shook her head. "I just don't feel good. Maybe we should just go back to your place. I'm tired anyway."

He stared at her but finally nodded, relieved that she wasn't going to start crying all over him. They drove back to Buck's in silence but she could feel him glancing at her occasionally. She didn't blame him. She had woken up that morning in tears for no reason. She had managed to keep her emotions in check for most of the morning but then June brought up Daryl and that careful composure crumbled. She hadn't been able to hold back and June had instantly reacted. She had talked to someone on the phone and then had demanded Carol leave work and ask to speak to an officer Walsh. Carol had nearly walked right out of the police station when she realized that Walsh was the man that had arrested Daryl to begin with.

She needed to be more careful. If she was going to keep the baby a secret then she had to stop acting like a... pregnant woman.

"You know, everything is gonna work out, right?" Merle finally said before they pulled into the driveway. "This lifestyle is hard but we always end up makin' it in the long run. Ain't sure how it's gonna play out but I know he won't set foot in a prison. It's just a feelin', but things are gonna be fine."

Carol shook her head, swallowing through the lump in her throat at the concern she saw in his eyes. "I just don't see how that's going to happen. I know we all want it too but that isn't gonna make it happen."

He sighed and got out, waiting for her to join him before he walked with her to the door. They all acted like she was going to break. Sometimes she wondered if they really had something to be worried about.

~H~

Sophia wasn't sure if this was such a good idea. She didn't know many of the other kids that they were hanging out with but from the looks of them they were a lot like Piper and the guys. They had met up with them in an abandoned barn on the outskirts of town. It was set far away from the road and behind it was a pond. That was where they were all hanging out now. There was something going on that Sophia didn't know about. Piper and Damon had been acting strange for a few days now and it was really starting to bother her. It reminded her of what Sara had said that day. She wasn't one of them. She was starting to feel like that was the truth.

She was leaning against one of the few trees, watching the rest of the kids talking and laughing around a low burning fire. Damon and Piper were a few feet away from her, talking in low voices. She couldn't make out what they were saying and she wasn't going to make a total ass of herself by butting into their conversation.

She wished she had driven herself but she had ridden with Damon and Piper had came with a guy that she sometimes made out with in secret but refused to call him her boyfriend. So she was stuck. She wouldn't dare call her mom to come and pick her up. Not only was this place off limits to any parents, even Merle, but she didn't want her mom doing anymore than she had to. She was terrified for her mom and for herself. She was starting to think that whatever was wrong with her was really bad. So bad that her mom wouldn't even talk about it.

She sighed and then pushed off the tree, making her way towards the group. She never should have came here but now that she was here she wasn't going to stand around by herself. There were a few people actually sitting in front of the fire, beers in hand. She sat down between a guy and a girl. They both looked up at her and nodded before looking back at the fire.

"You wanna beer?"

She looked up and saw the boy she had sat next to holding a beer out to her. She wasn't a fan of beer. She had drank it a few times but it wasn't really a taste that she could get used to. Her eyes went to the last place that Piper and Damon had been but they weren't there. As a matter of fact she couldn't see them anywhere. Anger lit a spark in her and she snatched the beer, popped the top and took a few long drinks.

"So, what's your name?" The boy asked, pulling his knees up to his chest.

"Sophia," she said, forcing more beer down her before she could spit it out.

"I'm Tyler."

She nodded and followed his gaze back to the fire. She finished her beer in silence, stewing over being ditched at a party that she hadn't even wanted to come to in the first place. "You got another one?" She asked, shaking her empty beer can in front of Tyler.

He grinned then pulled a small cooler around so it was sitting between them. "Help yourself."

"Thank you," she muttered, opening the lid and reaching into the ice.

"You from around here?" He asked as she started on her second beer.

She nodded. "Yeah. I go to Monroe. You?"

He laughed. "I don't go to school."

"Drop out?" She asked, no judgment in her voice.

"Kicked out."

She shook her head. "What did you get kicked out for?"

He shrugged and leaned back on his arms. "Fighting mostly."

"I got in a fight about a month ago," she said, remembering the satisfaction it had given her to slap Sara right in the face.

He raised an eyebrow. "You? You don't look like the type."

"I get that a lot actually," she muttered finishing another beer as fast as she had the first. "You know what I don't get?"

"What's that?" He asked, looking amused.

"What the hell type do I look like? I mean, really? I don't fit in with you leather vest wearing assholes and I don't fit in with those dicks at school. None of them. I'm serious. You see cliques all the time and there's always a group out there for someone. But do you think there is for me?"

"I'm guessing no."

She nodded. "Exactly. The only damn reason I'm here at all is because my mom got drunk and slept with some biker. If it wasn't for that do you think I would be here talking to you?"

"Uh... no?"

"No. I would be at home eating ice cream with my mom, watching reruns of Three's Company and turning into a lard ass. I wouldn't be sitting here, drinking beers with some stranger while my asshole boyfriend ignores me half the night and then disappears on me."

"You have a boyfriend?"

"Yes, I do. But do you see him? Of course not. Because actually hanging out with me instead of conspiring with his cousin would be too damn much to ask."

"Who is he?"

"Damon Dixon."

"Shit," he muttered, taking the beer from her and scooting away. "You need to go talk to someone else."

"What? Why?" She asked, reaching for the beer that she had nearly finished.

"Because I didn't come out here to get into a fight with that bastard."

She scowled. "I thought you got kicked out of school for fighting. You're scared of him?"

He shook his head. "I didn't say I was scared of him. I just said I didn't come out here to have to fight him."

"And why would you have to fight him?" She asked, feeling her anger spike even more.

"Because if you're his girlfriend then I don't have any business chatting you up."

"He doesn't own me!" She snapped.

He chuckled. "You keep telling yourself that sweetheart."

She stood up then and was surprised when she swayed a little. How many beers had she sat there and chugged for Christ sakes! "Can I at least take one more for the road?"

He sighed and handed her one more. "Take it easy, Sophia."

She glowered at him and then stalked off towards the barn. There were a few people in there, but she wasn't sure if that's where Damon and Piper had gone. Who knew what the hell those two were up too. She was half tempted to start walking home. She didn't want to be here if she was just going to have to walk around aimlessly by herself.

"Hey, there you are." Damon's voice sounded from behind her and he grabbed her arm lightly to slow her down.

She jerked her arm out of his grip and spun around. "What the hell do you mean, here I am! I've been fallowing you around like some idiot all damn night!"

His eyes widened. "Look, I know that I've been-"

"And then I sit down and actually have a conversation with someone, someone who actually spoke back and then he sends me off because you're a big fat jerk!"

He gaped at her. "Sophia I was-"

"You do not own me!" She barked taking a step back and almost falling. He caught her quickly.

"I never said I owned you. What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Tyler said that you owned me. Or thought you owned me. And you do not own me."

"Tyler? When the hell did you talk to that ass?"

"When you and Piper snuck off and left me alone."

"We didn't sneak off. We're trying to figure something out, okay? Something big. Are you drinking?"

She finished off the new beer. "Yes. What else am I suppose to do while walking around here like an idiot."

"Sophia, come on, it isn't like that." He grabbed her hand and she seriously thought about pulling away again but she realized suddenly how incredibly good looking he was. She let him pull her closer.

"Then what's it like? Because it sure as hell feels like I've been in your way. You and Piper have been acting weird for days."

He shook his head. "It's nothing you want to be a part of okay? Just trust me."

"If it has something to do with you then I want to be a part of it. Tell me what it is."

He looked torn and she knew that she was wearing him down. She wound her arms around his neck and walked backwards, dragging him towards the side of the barn. He followed, helping her stay upright. He still wasn't giving anything up though. She turned, gripping his hand and leading him towards his bike. "What are you doing?"

She pointed to the bike. "Sit."

"Why?" He asked. "We can't leave just yet."

"Please?"

He sighed and climbed on the bike, keeping his booted feet planted on the ground. "What the hell is the point of this?" He cocked one dark eyebrow at her.

She climbed on, facing him and shoving at his chest until he sat down on the seat. As soon as he did she leaned into him, her lips on his. Kissing was easy now. They kissed all the time. A few times he had even managed to get his hand halfway up her shirt before she shoved it back down. Knowing it was probably the alcohol but not caring, she deepened the kiss.

He gripped her hips and pulled his face away from hers. "What are you doin'?" He asked, his voice deeper, the way it usually got when she kissed him.

"Nothing," she smiled, sliding onto his lap to where he had no choice but to lean back a little to keep her from sliding off.

"You're drunk," he growled as she kissed his neck.

"I think I might be. I think I like it."

"You shouldn't be crawling all over me while you're drunk."

"When we do it, we should do it on this bike. Not many girls can say they lost their virginity on a vintage Harley."

He pulled his head back, his dark eyes wide. "You're gonna be embarrassed as hell in the mornin' if you remember sayin' that."

She nodded and grinned. "I probably will, but I think about it all the time."

He sighed. "We need to head back before you try to get me to do somethin' you'll regret later."

"Tell me what you and Piper are up to," she whispered into his ear.

He laughed then and wrapped his arms around her, hauling her so she was fit against him like a puzzle piece. "Sophia, are you trying to seduce information out of me?"

"Is it working?" She leaned back and made a face.

"It would if you hadn't been drinking. But I ain't that guy."

"What guy?"

"The guy that takes advantage of his drunk girlfriend." He grinned.

She didn't smile back. She held his gaze, forcing her eyes to tear up. It was a trick that she had learned a long time ago when she had decided that she wanted to grow up and be in the movies. It still came in handy every once in a while. "Why don't you trust me?"

His face grew tense as he noticed the tears and then his arms were around her. "Fine. We're lookin' for someone, okay? That's it. That's the big secret."

She snorted and then had to laugh at his shocked expression.

"You fake cried so I'd tell you something? What the hell happened to that sweet girl I met in Science class?"

"You corrupted her. Now, who are you looking for?"

He looked like he was about to close her out again but he finally looked away, cursing under his breath. "You can't tell a fucking soul. This is serious shit."

"I won't. Who are you looking for?"

He met her eyes and held her gaze for a long time. "Dave Henderson."

She made a face. She knew that name. Had been hearing that name a lot here lately. "Why are you trying to find that guy?"

Damon finally met her eyes again. "Because if there's no Dave Henderson then there's no trial."

Sophia let this sink in for a long time before responding. When she did it was obviously not what he expected her to say. "I'm in."


	40. Chapter 40

**Yay! Moving along! Not long now =) Thanks for all the love! You guys are awesome. Seriously! Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Forty**

A month after visiting Daryl in his cell Carol woke up in her cramped bedroom, on her lumpy twin bed with the squeaky springs and she smiled. She had slept all night. This was the first time she had slept all night in seven weeks. And this was the first time she had woken up without that horrible sickness causing her to bolt from the bed and heave over the toilet for ten or fifteen minutes before starting her day.

She stood up slowly, waiting for that heavy sick feeling to engulf her. When it didn't her smile grew wide. She walked out of her room and padded to the kitchen, still not completely trusting her body. The only thing she had been able to keep down over the past month was the soup that June kept bringing her. She ate it because she had to eat something but she didn't much care for it. It made her nauseous just like everything else did but it didn't make her actually throw up. That meant that she was able to keep the prenatal vitamins down. She tentatively opened the fridge and scanned the items.

"Thank God," she whispered, grabbing the bottle of orange juice and pouring a large glass. Just a few days ago looking at the juice had made her sick and now she felt like if she didn't drink it she would die. She had to have it. As much as she wanted to be a glutton with the juice she forced herself to take just a sip at a time. She waited between sips, wondering when the urge to throw up was going to hit her. It never did.

She took a quick shower and then dressed in jeans and a tank top. She didn't want to battle her hair so she pulled it back into a ponytail and then grabbed her phone. A worried voice answered on the second ring.

"You okay?"

She smiled fondly. "Why wouldn't I be okay?" She asked brightly.

Merle didn't answer for a few long seconds. "Because you ain't been okay and it's seven in the damn mornin'. I thought maybe-"

"I'm hungry, would you come pick me up?"

"Give me ten," he said quickly and then he hung up the phone.

She raised an eyebrow at his abrupt departure but shrugged and slipped her phone into her pocket. She went to the bathroom and hurriedly applied a little makeup. Her face was pale and almost gaunt. She concealed the dark circles under her eyes and added a little blush. She almost looked human again by the time she hurried down the stairs after hearing the rumbling of Merle's bike outside by the sidewalk.

He looked over as she bound out the door, ripping his sunglasses off his face and taking her in with a slow sweep of his eyes. "Holy shit, woman, you look almost human." He grinned and she saw that heavy cloud that had hung over him for these long weeks lift.

"Thanks a lot, Merle," she said, rolling her eyes and climbing on behind him. "Where are we going?"

"To get food, dummy," he called over his shoulder and gunned the engine.

Merle was a lot less careful with her than Buck. He liked to go fast. It wouldn't have bothered her if it wasn't for the fact that she was worried about more than herself but Merle handled the bike masterfully. Despite the speed, he was never careless and after the first few times she had ridden with him, she wasn't as afraid. He took her to a Denny's not far from the highway.

"Ain't been here in years," he muttered as he opened the door and ushered her in with is hand on her back.

"I've never been. What's good?" She asked, the smell of breakfast foods thick in the air. Once again she was afraid that she'd end up feeling sick but as they were seated her stomach rumbled loudly, even drawing Merle's attention in the crowded room.

"Everything's good," he said as he opened a menu.

She didn't even open hers. She already knew what she wanted. The waiter offered Merle a nervous smile, which Merle ignored because he didn't believe in basic manners.

"What can I get you folks to drink this morning?" He asked, smiling at Carol and receiving one in return.

"Orange juice. Two glasses of orange juice actually. And I'm ready to order already," she added, handing back the menu. "Two eggs, scrambled with a side of bacon. A half order of biscuits and gravy, hash browns and... a short stack, just in case."

Merle was staring at her with wide eyes. "Are we sharin' a plate?" He asked, completely serious.

"Hell no. Get your own. I told you I was hungry."

Merle looked up at the waiter. "Coffee, black and a couple of sausage, egg and cheese biscuits. Make that three in case she tries to steal one."

Carol rolled her eyes at him as the waiter hurried away. "What?" She asked when he didn't look away.

"You really are better, huh?" He asked.

She nodded. "I woke up this morning feeling perfectly fine. I slept all night. I was able to keep down some juice and then I realized I was starving."

"No more of that miracle soup, huh?" He smiled, relief still clear on his face.

She grimaced. "I swear if I never eat another bowl of soup for as long as I live I can die a happy woman."

"You gotta hand it to her though, it kept you alive all this time."

She nodded and instantly started in on her first glass of juice once it was set in front of her. She moaned around her straw. "This is way better than mine."

He sipped his coffee in silence and started watching the people coming and going.

She joined him and was surprised to realize that the people who happened to glance at him looked away quickly. Other customers avoided sitting near them even though there were empty tables there on either side of theirs. She started feeling a little offended but when she looked up he was grinning, shaking his head and looking down at his coffee. "Have you noticed that no one will sit near us?"

He chuckled. "You're with a Dixon, darlin'. Get used to that shit."

"Well I think it's ridiculous," she grumbled, narrowing her eyes at a table of women that were staring at them.

"It's just how it is. Be glad you called me and not Buck. The whole damn place would be deserted. He can clear a room. Hell, we'd probably have to cook our own damn breakfast. The cooks would probably leave."

"Buck is one of the kindest men I've ever met," she muttered, making an obnoxious slurping noise with her straw as she sucked up the last of the orange juice.

"That's cause Buck loves you. You don't wanna see that mother fucker pissed off."

Her eyes went back to the group of women and she felt her teeth clench together. Merle was like a brother to her, not some zoo exhibit. "Why in the hell do those women keep staring?"

Merle followed her gaze and then cursed, turning his head. "No idea."

"You do to have an idea or you wouldn't have just turned your head like you didn't want them to recognize you." A couple of them put their heads together to talk and then they stood up. Carol watched as they approached them. One looked like she was in her early forties, bottle blonde and blue eyed. The other one was probably Carol's age, that same bleached hair but green eyes several shades darker than Piper's.

"Merle? Merle Dixon? How are you?" The older one said once they stopped next to his chair. Neither one of them looked at Carol.

"I was fine till now," Merle grumbled.

They both smiled as though they were too dense to take a hint. "We heard about Daryl," the younger one said. "It's such a shame too. We had just been thinking about going to the garage to see him. How's he doing?"

Carol watched Merle's face carefully but he kept his eyes on his cup. "How the hell do you think he's doin'? He's spent the last two months in jail."

The older one smiled. "Well, tell him to let us know whenever he gets to come back home. We know exactly what he'll be needing after spending so much time around all those men."

"And what exactly is that?" Carol snapped, sitting her glass down so hard that juice sloshed over the side and spilled on the tablecloth. Merle's eyes widened and his lips twitched but he didn't even look up at the women.

The younger one giggled. "Trust us, you dont' even wanna know."

Merle glanced up. "Actually, I think she knows way better than you two would. He had a fling with you, what, three years ago? He's staked a claim ladies. He won't be callin'. Trust me. He compared that night with the two of you to throwin' a hot dog down a hallway. Now how bout you walk your loose asses back to your own table so I can have breakfast in peace with my sister-in-law here."

Carol glared at them as they took her in and then they both turned on their heel and walked away. "You shouldn't have said that. I'm not Daryl's. He could have actually wanted to have himself a little get out of jail threesome with thing one and thing two," she grumbled.

Merle opened his mouth to say something but the food arrived just then. Carol was upset but not so much that her appetite had suffered. She was still famished. Once the waiter left them to their meal Merle looked at her. "You know that's some bullshit. He's goddamn out of his mind over you and has been since day one. Stop trying to make yourself pissed off at him. It ain't gonna make him being gone any easier on you."

She snorted but she knew that he was telling her the truth. Somehow, Daryl only wanted her. That still didn't mean she couldn't get mad when his past reared it's ugly bleached head. She was hesitant with her first bite but once she chewed and swallowed she dug in with gusto. Everything tasted like it was cooked in some kitchen reserved for God himself. It took everything she had not to stuff her face. Merle finished his own breakfast much faster. He spent the rest of the time watching her.

"You didn't even eat a third of what you ordered but I'll be damned if it ain't the most I've seen you eat in forever."

She looked at all her wasted food but there was no way she was going to be able to eat anything else. She wasn't completely full but she was too afraid to push it. Merle slid her plate of pancakes over and finished them off himself so she didn't feel as guilty about the waste.

"Where to now?" He asked, once he was finished.

She sighed contentedly and glanced up at the clock. "You wanna drop me off at work?"

He nodded and waited for her to get up. When she did a wave of vertigo hit her and Merle had to steady her. "You feelin' sick again?"

She shook her head and smiled once it passed. "No. I think it's just where I'm just now recuperating. That and I think I've overdosed myself on food."

He nodded but kept his hand at the small of her back as they made their way out to the bike.


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter Forty One**

"So this is it?" Sophia asked, feeling much less excited than she had when they had first started out this morning.

"This is it for you," Damon said, his eyes narrowed as he watched the man sitting on a bench in the park, watching women jog past.

Sophia studied the man, scowling as he grinned as another jogger ran past him. "I can do more than this. This is boring. I can find out where he lives right now and we won't be stuck following him around all afternoon."

"Like what?" Piper said, popping her head up from between the seats.

"I could go flirt with him or something," she muttered. "He knows you so it isn't like you could do it. Besides, you look like you're thirteen."

Piper snorted. "You're an ass. But seriously, that's not a half bad idea."

"What? Are you fuckin' crazy," Damon hissed. "You ain't talkin' to that piece of shit."

Sophia ignored him. "What should I say to him?"

Piper shrugged. "I don't know. Just wing it. Act interested. Get him to talking and then just go from there."

"You aint' goin' over there!" Damon barked.

"Okay. And then I'll try to get him to give me his address, try to figure out as much details about his place as possible?"

Piper nodded. "Exactly. And while where at it, roll up your window and climb back here for a second."

"Do you guys even hear me? Am I some kind of ghost?" Damon grumbled.

"What for?" Sophia asked Piper.

"We can swap shirts. You look like you're going to go play golf. Trust me, it isn't sexy at all."

Sophia looked down at her blue and white striped t-shirt. "I do not."

"Just get the fuck back here, jeeze!" Piper snapped.

Despite Damon's avid protests Sophia climbed over the seat, kicking him in the head on accident. Piper was wearing a black tank top that showed just a few inches of mid drift. Sophia was a lot taller than her so she would be showing more skin. Without missing a beat Piper pulled the shirt off and handed it to Sophia. Sophia glanced at the front seat but Damon was probably not willing to risk looking at his cousin topless just to get a peak at her. She whipped her own shirt over her head and hurriedly put Pipers on.

"I can't wear this!" She hissed, looking down. The shirt was much too small on her.

"Shut up and put this on too," Piper said as she unbuckled the black studded belt she was wearing.

Sophia did as she said and then straightened her hair a little before she got out of the car. They were parked behind some heavy brush on the other side of the park so Dave probably wouldn't see them. She tugged on the front of the shirt but it just popped right back into place. She felt uncomfortable.

Damon got out, his eyes flashing angrily until he really took her in. He finally looked up at her face and she flushed. He shook his head and tugged her closer by the belt. "If he fuckin' touches you then you get your ass back over here and tell me."

Sophia nodded and then jumped when piper popped her head out the back window. She laughed. "You look like a total slut!"

Sophia scowled. "Because you made me!" She walked away then, making her way towards the man that could very well get Daryl sent to prison. She learned that he was a twenty four year old wanna be. He was a cling on that would sometimes do favors for the MC. In return they let him show up to parties every now and then. He was a leach, just like Ed was. They also learned that their MC wasn't the only one he was involved with.

She almost faltered when he looked up as she approached. He smiled and she had to force one of her own. His eyes lingered on her chest but she forced herself to remain calm. This was her idea and Damon wasn't far away. If this guy tried to get handsy with her then he would be there in a second. "Mind if I sit?" She asked, clearing the nervousness from her throat.

"Of course not, beautiful. Free country." He grinned. "I'm Da... Er... Ben."

Internally she rolled her eyes. How insanely lame. "Thank you. It's hot out today."

"Actually, it just got a little bit hotter. What's your name sweetheart?"

Did this guy actually think this worked on women? "Sierra," she held out her hand and managed to shake his without wiping it off on the grass. That was actually the name of Damon's pet tarantula.

"You mind if I ask you how old you are?" Dave asked, like she had already agreed to go on some date with him.

"Eighteen. I just moved here a few weeks ago from Atlanta. Starting college in the fall. So far I haven't really met anyone."

"Oh now, I find that hard to believe. Pretty thing like you should have the boys knocking down the doors for a date."

She actually flushed at all his gushing. This guy was so completely clueless that she almost felt sorry for him. "So, let me guess," she flashed him a smile. "You've lived here your entire life, have a ton of friends and never have to talk to complete strangers in a park just for a little socialization?"

He shook his head. "Afraid not. I've been here for a month or so. Got myself into a little trouble back home and had to relocate."

She scooted a little closer, widening her eyes. "That sounds dangerous. You aren't some fugitive hiding from the law are you?"

He laughed, seeming quite proud of himself for being able to reel her in with his story. "Actually, the law is who put me here in the first place. See, there was this biker gang back in my hometown. A real nasty bunch of men. Well, I found out that they were doin' some real low down illegal stuff and I confronted them about it. I got in a fight and really messed up one of them. I got arrested for it actually. After that the whole lot of them were after me. I was getting death threats. They even threatened my old grandma down in Savannah. I wanted to take them all, you know? But the cops wouldn't let me. Said it'd be too dangerous. So here I am. New state, new town."

Sophia had never wanted to spit so bad in her life. Every little thing this man just told her was a damn lie! She knew exactly what happened and it wasn't what he just said. "That has to be the bravest thing I've ever heard in my life," she breathed.

He nodded. "Yeah well, sometimes when a man sees wrong in the world, he has no choice but to act, you know?"

Sophia nodded. "Of course, but it would take so much to do something like that. And now those men, what will they do to you if they ever find you?"

He shrugged but there was no mistaken the flash of fear in his eyes as he glanced around. "Oh I'm sure they would take me out."

"Oh my God, that's so scary." Maybe she needed to tone it down just a little bit.

"I guess I'm just that used to the danger, darlin'." Okay, maybe not.

They sat there in silence until she thought enough time had passed. She turned her body towards his. "Look Ben, I know this may seem forward since we just met and all but can I ask you a question?"

His syrupy smile never wavered as he leaned his arm over the back of the bench and actually moved some of her hair from her shoulder. She forced herself not to flinch, or throw up. "Ask away."

"It's been so rough here, not knowing anyone and all. Would you mind if I stopped by your place later? Maybe have a few drinks? Listen to some music? I'll understand if you aren't interested. I know how this makes me look. I've just been so lonely since moving here."

He lost some of his cool then, turning into the bumbling idiot that she knew he was deep down. "My place? You wanna come over to my place?"

She bit her lip and nodded.

"Well, hell yeah! But are you sure you're eighteen?"

She laughed. "Would it help if I showed you some ID?"

He actually nodded. "Yeah. I knew this guy that got involved with this girl one time, didn't know how old she was and ended up getting thrown in jail. That makes a man jumpy."

She stood up then, took a deep breath and then turned, angling herself so he had a view of her butt. She felt gross doing it but she was to the point where she would do almost anything to help Daryl at this point. Even let a man ogle her backside. She made a show of checking her back pockets but, of course, came up empty handed. "Now what did I do with my wallet?" She mumbled to herself. She reached into the small purse and double checked it. When her eyes came up to meet his she noticed he was sweating. The butt thing must have really worked. What a sicko. "I can't believe this. I must have left my wallet at the motel. Can I just bring it with me when I come?"

He nodded eagerly. "Hell yeah. Will you remember the address?"

She reached into the purse and pulled out a pen, handing it to him. "Can you write it down for me? I would die if I forgot it."

He took the pen and then she sat down again, closer than before and offered the palm of her hand. He grinned and quickly scribbled his address down.

"Your number to, if you don't mind."

"Right. Yeah. My number," he muttered, adding it to her hand.

She stood up, smiling coyly. Or trying to smile coyly anyway. She didn't know what the hell she was doing. "It was so nice meeting you... Ben."

"You too, gorgeous." He winked. "I'm lookin' forward to hanging out."

"Oh me too. You have no idea." She smiled, waved and then turned. As soon as her back was to him her smile slid from her face and she grimaced. She could feel his eyes on her so she forced herself not to take off towards the car at a sprint. Once she was back at the car and knew he couldn't see her she opened the door and slid in.

"What did he say?" Piper said as Damon left the park.

"He's so gross," Sophia hissed.

Damon turned his head sharply. "What'd he do?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. He's just a total creep. I got his address though, if that helps."

Piper whooped. "Are you serious!"

Sophia nodded. "Yeah. I'm suppose to go to his place tonight to hang out." She cringed.

"Then you have to go to his place tonight and hang out," Piper said quickly.

"What!" Sophia and Damon said in unison.

"Well, you can't just make plans with the guy and then not show. He'll get suspicious. If he gets suspicious then he might leave again or talk to the cops about it, you know? Then he'll get moved again and it took us more than a fucking month to find him. And you both know that we only have a month left to shut this guy up."

"She can't go in there by herself. This guy's dangerous," Damon argued.

"The guy is an idiot but he didn't seem dangerous," Sophia argued, even though she didn't want to go to his house.

"We'll just get our asses back to Georgia and talk to Buck. He can handle it quick," Damon said, turning onto the interstate.

"Do you really think that Buck talking to him is going to get him to change his mind about testifying?"

Damon glanced into the rear view mirror then, meeting Piper's eyes. "I'm sure Buck can be pretty persuasive."

Sophia sighed and looked out the window, missing the guilty look shared between Piper and Damon.

 **I'm happy to say that the next chapter has some feel good Caryl moments. I feel your pain. Hell, I wrote the damn story and I still hate how much time they've spent apart. Anyway, thanks again for reading. I'll update again later on =)**


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter Forty Two**

Daryl sat on the floor with his back against the bricks while Shane sat across from him. The nights when it was just Shane were the best. He hated that he actually looked forward to them. The jail had two sections and neither were very big. The part where he was being held was actually attached to the police station itself. Across the street was the bigger jail that held most inmates. Martinez had the pull to keep Daryl close so he was the sole inmate in this building. It had it's perks when the other guards were busy somewhere else. He didn't have to deal with them a lot but when he did it was hell.

Shane had brought him dinner and actually sat down with him, cell door opened, and ate his own. A box of fries sat between them. Daryl was quiet. More quiet than usual and Shane seemed to sense that he didn't want to talk about it. Apparently everyone that had been pulling for him had exhausted their efforts. His trial date was set and with Dave's testimony he was pretty sure the judge would end up giving him at least five years. That was a heavy burden and he had finally accepted the fact that it was his own damn fault. It wasn't Andrea's fault. It wasn't Martinez's fault. Hell, it wasn't even Dave's fault. Daryl hadn't had to beat the guy so badly. He just did what he wanted to do, when he wanted to do it, secure in the fact that Buck's influence and the ties he had would keep him out of trouble.

"I'm gonna do you a solid, Dixon."

Daryl looked up from his burger. It was almost gone and he hadn't even tasted it. "Yeah? You gonna spring me?"

Shane sighed. "I would man, if I could."

"Yeah, I know."

"I made a call and got you another visit. I figure after the news you got today you needed a pick me up. I can manage more time since it's just me and you tonight. The only reason anyone else would be around is if a damn riot broke out across the street and I don't see that happening."

He should have felt excited by the prospect of getting to see Carol again. Instead he felt sick. He didn't expect her to wait for him for five years. Hell, even if the judge took it easy on him, he didn't want her to have to wait for three either. It wasn't right for him to ask her to do that. Especially since he had never even really told her how he felt about her. He was pretty sure she knew or she wouldn't have stuck around for this long, but he'd never said it. Now he thought maybe that was for the best.

"You don't look too excited Dixon."

Daryl shook his head. "I ain't. Guess at least this way I can cut her loose in person instead of doin' it behind the glass."

"Cut her off? That woman? Man, are you insane? You ain't dealing with some bar whore there, Daryl. She's the real deal. Why the hell would you cut her loose?"

"Cause she don't need to sit around and wait for my ass to get out of prison. She's got a lot to offer. She's got a daughter. I don't expect her to sit on her ass and wait for me. What kind of asshole you think I am?"

Shane shook his head. "I'll be damned. I guess you have changed."

Daryl looked away. "Yeah. Too little too late, right?"

Shane gathered up the wrappers and empty cups. "There's still a chance your old man will find Dave. As soon as that gets handled then they won't have much of a case."

"They've looked man. They can't find him anywhere and those fuckin' feds are smart enough to not let you or any of your guys know a damn thing."

Shane stood up. "Well, I guess if you're gonna give this woman some kind of speech you got about ten minutes to hammer it out. I called her so she's on her way now."

Daryl stood up, nodding. "Thanks, man. You ain't gotta do any of this shit. Just know I appreciate it."

"We have to kiss now?" Shane grinned and dodge the kick Daryl aimed at him.

"Pussy," Daryl muttered, shaking his head and flinching when the cell door slammed shut.

~H~

Carol felt light headed at the prospect of seeing him again. Seeing him without the glass between them. Talking to him without the tinny quality of his voice through the telephone. She couldn't wait to see his face when he saw her and realized that her mysterious sickness was over. He worried. She knew he worried and she loved him for it but his worry only made it worse on her. Today was a good day. She had been able to do her job without stopping on and off to go throw up. She hadn't been plagued with that sick feeling that had stayed with her for weeks upon weeks.

Shane offered her a smile when she walked into the station. She held out a small box and gave him a smile of her own.

"What's this?" He asked, taking the box from her with the logo for the bakery printed across it.

"I thought I'd make you something. Just to thank you for everything you do for him," she said, feeling a little stupid now that he was opening the box and sliding the cupcake out onto his desk. His eyes grew wide.

"You made this?" He asked.

She nodded, feeling more proud than she should have that she could make a decent cupcake. She had worked on it before leaving. Daryl had one too. "I figured since Merle sucks those down like they're going out of style that maybe it was just a man thing. There's real Reece cups baked inside and the peanut butter icing is homemade. June helped decorate though. She's better at that part than I am."

He grinned, "Well hell, I don't know whether to eat it or set it up to be admired."

"I'd eat it. You don't want ants."

He chuckled and came out from behind the desk, leading her through a few doors and then into the hallway that housed several holding cells. A distinctive flutter low in her stomach had her stopping in her tracks, her hand going over the spot and a gasp escaping her. She hadn't realized that she had stopped directly in front of his cell. She felt Shane's hand low on her back and she looked up, sharply. He looked concerned.

"You okay?" He asked, brows raising.

She nodded quickly and then her eyes slid over. Daryl was standing there, his hands on the bars, watching her worriedly. She dropped her hand quickly, her heart beating hard and fast. It was such a strange feeling, that his baby would pick this moment to move for the first time. Like it sensed that he was close and needed to remind her that it was there. When he took in her face she could see the relief in his eyes, much more intense than what she had seen in Merle's when he had first seen her this morning.

"You're better." It was a statement, not a question.

She nodded and hurried inside as soon as Shane had the door opened. "Much."

Shane walked away then and she threw herself into his arms. She wasted no time with sappy words or tears. Today had been too good for any of that. Her lips sought out his and he tightened his grip on her. The familiar texture of his lips, the familiar feel of his hands on her hips, all of it had her head swimming, giving her no option other than to deepen the kiss, to taste as much of him as she could.

He reluctantly pulled out of the kiss, meeting her eyes. "You sure you feel okay?"

She nodded. "I do. I feel better than okay. Are you okay?" Her voice was breathy and she couldn't keep her eyes off of his lips.

He shook his head. "We need to talk, Carol."

She hated the look in his eyes when he said her name, like it caused him pain. She didn't want him to be sad right now. She wanted him to feel as good as she felt. "You didn't say you liked my dress," she muttered, her lips brushing his throat.

He looked confused but then his gaze swept down. "It's a nice dress," he muttered. "But I need to-"

She pushed gently until he sat down on the edge of the bed, looking up at her with a strange look on his face. "What's the best thing about this dress?" She asked, her body radiating heat.

"Uh... I don't know."

She grinned because it was the first time she had ever seen him remotely flustered. "The fact that it's a dress," she answered for him.

He still looked confused until she grabbed his hand and moved it from her hip to her inner thigh. He didn't need any more urging than that. His eyes darkened when he realized that she wasn't wearing anything underneath. He stood up. "We don't even know when the fuck Shane'll be back," he said, eyes searching her face.

"Then you better make this quick, huh?" She muttered as she started working his pants down his hips. With a growl he tore off his shirt and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her down with him as he sat back down on the cot.

"I don't think that will be a problem. We shouldn't be doin' this here, though," he whispered as she adjusted herself over him, coming up on her knees.

She met his eyes intently. "I need you. And I know you need this," she breathed right before she lowered herself onto him slowly.

His breath stuttered out of him before his teeth sank into her throat. She stifled a moan as he filled her. She rolled her hips in a slow rhythm, needing no urging from him. She knew what he liked, despite their brief time together. That was the beauty of them. They read one another easily. His hold on her tightened so much that she could barely move at all, but it didn't matter. Every small rise and fall of her hips brought her closer and closer to the brink that she could only reach with him.

His shoulders, which she clung to, felt more broad under her touch. His arms felt wider, more defined. These were small realizations that barely made it to the forefront of her mind as she felt him start to tense. He quickly brought his hand between them, his fingers playing over her flesh, driving her quickly to the brink. He lost himself with a shudder just seconds before she did, the heat of his release pulsing deep driving her over and sending her trembling against him as she buried her face in his neck.

He was breathing heavily, his brow sweaty. She pushed his hair back and kissed his forehead. He was still holding her against him with a strength she didn't know he had. It seemed like he was afraid to let her go. Like if he did then maybe she'd never come back. Now that she had her wits about her she realized that when she had first came in, he had seemed off to her. It made her feel bad for not giving him the news that she had came here to give him in the first place.

"What's wrong?"

He shook his head and pulled her face to his, his lips desperate against hers. When he finally pulled his face away he moved her so she could sit down next to him while he fixed his pants. He didn't bother putting his shirt back on. "I wanted to tell you somethin'. Now it just don't seem right to say what I need to say."

She frowned and turned on the narrow cot so she was facing him. She felt a ball of dread form in the pit of her stomach, causing her to feel sick but in a different way than she had grown used to. "I'm here. If you need to tell me something then just tell me, Daryl."

He ran a hand through his hair, glancing at her briefly before looking away. "I talked to my lawyer today. I made her promise not to say anything to Buck yet. Not until I got a chance to talk to you."

She felt her heart leap in her chest as she took in his tortured expression. She stayed quiet and very still.

"She wasn't able to stop it. The date is set. Four more weeks and I go to trial. I'll probably get at least five years," He looked up then, meeting her eyes. "I want you to... uh. I mean, I know that things have been all fucked up since you met me and that it might seem like I'd expect you to wait for fuckin' ever on me to get out but that ain't the case."

She opened her mouth to stop him from saying anything else but he shook his head, turning to face her.

"Look, you need somebody that isn't into the same kind of shit I'm into. You need to take Sophia and you need to go live your damn life. I can't deal with you thinkin' I expect you to stay around and wait."

She saw how bad that those words hurt him. They would have hurt her too but they didn't. This day wasn't a day for pain. She came here to tell him something big and he wasn't giving her a chance to say anything. He was going on and on like he was going to be sent away forever. "Daryl, just to make it perfectly clear, I don't know what this is. I don't know if there is even a label out there for us. What I do know is that you going away for years wouldn't change anything. I would wait for as long as I needed to wait."

"I don't want you to do that, damn it," he growled, shaking his head.

She shrugged. "I don't care. Unless you don't want me to wait simply because you don't want me. Then I'll move on but-"

"That ain't it and you know it!" He barked, standing up in his outrage.

Her eyebrows shot up. He had definitely been working out. She stood up with him. "And I came here to tell you that there is a huge chance that you'll be coming back home right after the trial."

He shook his head. "That's what Andrea was fightin' for. To avoid a trial. She knew if it came to that then I was gone."

"Well, things change," she said with a shrug.

He shook his head. "How?"

"Because Buck found Dave Henderson and he isn't going to testify. Without him, what do they have? A few Rookie cops? I think Martinez and Walsh can handle that."

Daryl stared at her, his eyes going wide with disbelief. "How? How the hell did they find him?"

She shrugged. "He wouldn't tell me. All he said was that there were a people looking that ended up being smarter than the rest of them. He said he hadn't even known others were looking. He got the call last night and he already went to talk to him. He won't testify."

Daryl sat back down heavily, staring off at nothing for a moment as his mind processed this new information.

"Are you okay?" She asked, running her hand down his arm.

He looked over at her and nodded. "So I'm gonna be out in a month?"

She nodded, unable to hide her smile.

"And you ain't dyin', which we were all pretty damn sure you were."

"No, I am definitely not dying."

"And I just got laid in jail."

She laughed. "And I made you a cupcake. It's in that box," she pointed to the window ledge.

"I guess today was a damn good day then," he said, still sounding stunned at the turn of events.

 **That month flies by so don't worry about that. Thank you for reading!**


	43. Chapter 43

**Reposting this real quick. It was all messed up in my doc manager and didn't know it so when I posted the first time it was a mess. Sorry about that!**

 **Chapter Forty T** **hree**

Another month had come and gone. Three months. Twelve weeks. Ninety days. However you wanted to phrase it, that was a lot of time to lose. He hadn't thought much about what could happen in the course of three months. Not until he had to sit on his ass for that amount of time. Well, not really sit on his ass. There were a lot of times that he was able to go to the exercise room and work out. There were times when Shane or Martinez would come to his cell and play cards or bring him something from some fast food joint. And twice in three months Shane had risked his ass to let Carol come into his cell. That wasn't something that Martinez would have okayed. It was too risky.

The first time she had shown up it had scared him to death. He had seen her before that, of course, during regular visits. But seeing her that close, without anything between them had been startling. She had been sick, weak, thin, pale, weeping at the drop of a hat. He had been sure that she was hiding the fact that she was dying. He had seriously thought that she was just going to keep wasting away until one day she just didn't come for their weekly visit. Like she would just fade away.

The second time was different. She was still thin but she had her color back, she smiled a lot. And she had mauled him. Any visit that included sex, cupcakes and the knowledge that the charges against him could possibly get dropped was a great fucking visit in his book.

"Your father is going to have me murdered, Daryl Dixon," Andrea grumbled.

He glanced over. "He ain't gotta know every fuckin' thing that's going on with me. I'm a grown ass man!"

She scoffed at that. "No you aren't. If you had been thinking like a grown ass man to begin with you never would have been put in this situation."

"You know what? It's over now so I don't need anymore of your council you high and mighty-"

"Daryl Dixon, I'll make it to where your ass has to walk home if you dare call me a bitch," she snapped, letting the door fall shut behind her.

He followed her out into the late evening sun. This was the first time he had been outside since the day he had gotten arrested. Every meeting he had had in the last three months was in that damn jail. Andrea let him have his moment, knowing that he needed to just take a breath. She waited at the bottom of the steps, checking her makeup with a small mirror she had pulled from her oversized purse.

"Why didn't you want me telling Buck anything anyway?" She asked once he made it to the sidewalk.

He shrugged. "Honestly, I was afraid for all of them to get their hopes up and then Dave pop up out of nowhere and they decide to press it again. I wanted my feet in the dirt before I even let myself believe that I managed to dodge this bullet."

"Well, you're still on probation for the next year so I wouldn't get too comfortable with this new found freedom, buddy. The likelihood of you staying out of trouble is slim and we both know it. I give it four months before I get called out of bed to come and see what you've gotten your fool self into."

"That ain't true. Quit actin' like you know a damn thing about me, woman," he grumbled.

"You're right. I don't know you. Not really. I've just spent the last ten years as your lawyer, been stuck dealing with your idiot actions and your father and brother's attempts to keep you out of trouble."

"It ain't gonna be like that anymore," he muttered, watching as the trees and houses whizzed past the car.

She laughed. "Is that right? So these three months really changed you, huh?"

He shook his head and glanced at her. "No. Not the last three months. The week or so before the last three months."

She didn't say anything else after that and he didn't offer up anymore conversation. She was right. He had known her for a long time but that didn't mean that she knew him. He had a tough road ahead of him. It wasn't going to be easy, but this was a second chance. He was going to do the best he could to make something of himself.

He had her drop him off on the road by the driveway leading to the house. He didn't want anyone looking out and seeing him.

"Daryl," Andrea said quickly after he shut the car door.

He turned, bending down so he could look at her through the open window. "Yeah?"

She sighed and then offered him a smile. "Something, against my better judgment mind you, is telling me that you're sincere. I really do hope things turn around for you. You aren't as bad as everyone thinks you are. None of you are."

He gave her a lopsided smile. "Things have already turned around woman." He turned and headed down the driveway. He was relieved to see Carol's car parked behind Merle's bike. The truck was parked in front of it. He used the key to unlock the front door instead of knocking or ringing the bell. No one other than Shane, Andrea and Martinez knew he was out. It had been hard because Buck was like a dog with a bone but they had kept their word and not spilled anything.

He walked in, the familiar smell of the place bringing a smile to his face. He heard the sound of the T.V. coming from the living room so he made his way to the room. When he walked in he stopped in his tracks. Merle was there, sitting on the couch with his head resting on the back, sound asleep. Carol was there too, sleeping with her bare legs draped over Merle's lap. Merle's hand was on her calve and from the looks of it she was fast asleep as well.

For all of ten seconds Daryl was pissed. Jealousy raising it's ugly head. Then he took a moment to really look at them. She was on her back, wearing a t-shirt she must have found in his own closet. She had her head lying on a pillow that he knew belonged to him and his vest was draped over her like a blanket.

He walked around to the back of the couch and flicked Merle's ear. Merle grumbled and shook his head but didn't open his eyes. Daryl snorted and did it again.

"Goddamn it, Piper," he muttered, still not looking to see who was there.

"Get the fuck up numb nuts," Daryl said in a low voice.

Merle's eyes snapped open and he craned his neck to look behind him. He opened his mouth to say something, eyes wide, but Daryl shook his head and put his finger to his lips, motioning towards a still sleeping Carol.

"She won't wake up," Merle said with a shake of his head as he glanced at her. "She does this every damn day after work. She comes here and she sleeps on the couch for a few hours. Nothin' wakes her up."

Daryl frowned. This was one of those quirks about someone that you realized about them after spending a lot of time with them. He wasn't jealous of his brother because he thought that his brother or Carol would ever do anything to betray him, but it was Merle that had spent these months with her. Merle knew her quirks. Merle knew her habits. Merle probably knew what her favorite foods were and what kind of movies she liked to watch. Daryl didn't know any of that and for a second he was filled with an overwhelming sense of envy.

"I gotta take a piss," Merle muttered, lifting her legs and moving out from under them. "She's gonna wake up starving. She always does. You got one weird fuckin' woman, brother. I'm glad you get to finally do all this shit. I'm wore out." He was grumbling but Daryl saw his eyes soften as he glanced down at her. It was obvious that when he had asked Merle to look after her, he had taken the job seriously.

Merle didn't leave the room without pulling him in for a hug. He slapped him hard on the back. "We knew you were getting out soon but nobody would tell us shit. Glad to see you free baby brother."

"You and me both."

Merle left the room and Daryl knelt down in front of the couch. Her brows furrowed in her sleep. "Carol," he said, smoothing out her frown with a finger.

Her lips turned up and she pulled his vest up a little higher but her eyes didn't open. He shrugged and then pressed his lips to hers firmly.

She pulled away with a startled squeak and then all he heard was the crack of her hand across his cheek as she slapped him. "What in the _hell_ is wrong with you!" She shrieked, completely outraged.

"Ouch!" He barked, his hand going up, feeling the heat rising off his stinging face.

Her eyes grew impossibly wide and then she sat up, rubbing her eyes and then looking at him again.

"What in the hell is goin' on in here?" Merle bellowed as he came back in.

"I thought you were kissing me so I slapped you but it wasn't you!" Carol explained, the artery in her neck was jumping wildly. "Daryl?"

He stared at her, nodding.

She reached out, grabbing the sides of his face and yanked him towards her. Before he could open his mouth to say anything she was kissing him.

Merle sighed and left the room again, now that he knew no one was being assaulted. She pulled back, her eyes bright. "You're here!"

He nodded. "Yeah, I can see that."

"Why in the hell didn't you let us know? Do you have any idea how worried we've been. Andrea has ignored all of our calls and Martinez and Shane kept giving us the runaround. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought I would just show up. I didn't know you were gonna smack me for it."

"I really did think you were Merle. I thought he'd lost his damn mind. That's disgusting."

"Well fuck you too," Merle muttered as he came back in.

Carol rolled her eyes and took the hand Daryl offered her. She stood up. "I'm starving," she muttered, yawning loudly. She ignored Merle's sarcastic look, taking Daryl's hand and steering him towards the kitchen.

Merle grabbed her arm before she could get past him. "Save your appetite, little sister. I called Buck and they got the grills fired up already. We're goin' to the garage."

Daryl groaned. "Damn it, Merle. Couldn't you have just kept this shit to yourself?"

Merle scowled. "That man's been goin' outta his fuckin' mind over your ass, boy. Hell no I wasn't gonna keep you bein' out to myself."

"You shoulda just told him to get the kids and get his ass home. I don't feel like dealin' with all those people tonight."

Merle stared at him like he'd grown an extra head. "What the hell are you talkin' about? You love those goddamn get togethers. We got people from three more charters rollin' in right now just to see your ass. Buck only did it for you."

Daryl sighed. "Fine. Let's roll then."

Carol didn't seem too happy about it either but she slipped on a pair of boots and dragged him off to the door.

"Where'd you get those boots?" He asked as she quickly climbed onto the back of his bike. She could wear the hell out of some biker boots.

She looked down. "Merle got them for me."

He scowled but didn't say anything about it. It wasn't like he could buy her anything while he was in jail. He wasn't going to let it dampen his spirits. He was a free man and he was about to see his family. So what if Merle knew her better than he did. So what if Merle bought her shit and let her sleep with her legs in his lap. So what if Merle had been there for her while she was sick and he was the one that watched out for her. So what if Merle effortlessly slipped into the role of a decent man.

He ignored the thoughts that were trying to drag him down. Forcing him to second guess himself. His brother had only done what Daryl has asked him to do. Nothing more. When her arms came around his waist he let it sooth the turmoil in his mind. Before starting the bike he ran his hands down her smooth thighs that were pressed against his hips. They would be alright. They would get into their own routine. He didn't need to stress himself out over shit that he couldn't change. All he could do was be the man his brother had been for her.

Man, that sounded fucked up even in his own head.


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter Forty Four**

Daryl was surprised how many people were already there. Hell, he hadn't officially been out for an hour. He hadn't let anyone know until forty minutes ago. But here they were, making their way through throngs of well wishers and back patters. He was surprised at how many of them Carol knew by name.

He pulled her through the crowds until he found a spot where he would actually be able to talk to her but then he noticed Buck coming towards them. Seeing his dad had him grinning until he nearly crushed the life out of him. He almost didn't mind but he couldn't breath. When he finally let go Buck's eyes went to Carol and he bent down, kissing her right on the mouth. Daryl was shocked when Buck regarded her with that same look that came over his face when he looked at Piper.

"How you feelin'?" Buck asked her.

She nodded. "Good. Better than good now," she smiled.

Daryl hadn't expected to get hit again but suddenly Buck whacked him in the side of the head. "Next time you better let me know when the hell you're getting out," he growled.

Daryl rubbed the side of his head. "Goddamn it, why do people keep hittin' me? And there ain't gonna be a next time."

Buck nodded stiffly. "I better get back and man the grill. Odin will burn every damn thing. We're gonna be havin' a talk later, you hear me?"

Daryl shrugged. "If you can find me."

Daryl was about to ask Carol something but suddenly he was getting slammed in the chest. He looked down at the top of a red head and grinned, letting go of Carol's hand long enough to hug the little shit. Once she let go of him she slapped him in the stomach.

"Don't you ever pull this shit again!" She shrieked. "You could have at least told me you were getting out today. You tell me everything you asshole!"

He sighed. "You too? I swear I need to put a fuckin' sign on my back that says punching bag."

"You deserved it. I wrote your sorry ass every other day. What do I get for my efforts? Left in the dark."

"Okay, I'm sorry."

She looked satisfied and stepped away, giving Damon his turn to squeeze the life out of him. At least the boy didn't hit him. "Glad you're back, man. It hasn't been the same without you."

Daryl nodded and then glanced down at Sophia. She smiled and waved and then surprised him when she actually hugged him. She didn't say anything, or hit him, so that was a good sign.

He finally was able to drag Carol through the doors. He made his way to the bar where a beer was already set out for him. He took it gratefully and then nodded towards the one that was set down in front of Carol. "Drink up. You're gonna need it by the end of the night."

She smiled and shook her head. "I can handle it sober."

He tugged her a little closer and dipped his head like he was going to kiss her but he stopped. "You gonna slap me again if I kiss you?"

She grinned and pulled his face towards hers. When he pulled back he couldn't help but glance down at the oversized shirt she was wearing.

"What's up with wearin' my clothes?" He raised a brow at her. "Cant even tell what's under there."

She swallowed and her eyes suddenly grew serious. "I just like them."

He shrugged. "Okay. Nothin' wrong with that." He sat down on the stool but she was still standing, glancing around at all of the people. When she turned to look at him she seemed nervous.

"I need to talk to you about something soon. I should have talked to you about it before now but I didn't want to say anything while you were in jail. It just didn't seem right."

Instantly his mind started seeking out the worst case scenarios but she smiled and shook her head. "Stop worrying about it. This is a celebration. I don't want you stressing about anything. And do you realize that you're sitting in the exact same spot that you were sitting in when all this first started?" She smiled.

He grinned, despite how nervous he was. "Does that mean you'll end up in my room up there tonight?"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm gonna end up wherever you end up and you know it."

He grinned and stood up, unable to sit for very long. He felt like that's all he had done these past months. "Could go back to your place," he raised an eyebrow.

She blew out a breath. "Don't start with me about that. I hear enough from Buck and Merle every damn day."

He sighed. "I'll wear you down eventually."

"I hate the place. I really do, but it's nice being able to say that it's mine. Sure, it's crappy, but I pay for it myself."

He didn't like hearing that she still hadn't planned on moving out of the apartment but he had time to work on her.

"We can fight about all that later," she said quickly, guessing his thoughts. "I'll be right back." She reached up, kissing him quickly and then pulled away. She was about to walk away but he grabbed her hand. "Where the hell are you goin'?"

"The bathroom," she said, raising a brow.

He jerked his thumb towards the back. "The bathroom's that way."

She made a face. "I'm not using that one. I use Buck's when I'm here."

His eyes grew wide. "Nobody's allowed to use that bathroom."

"Well, I'm not everyone," she said with a false air of haughtiness in her voice.

"What the hell kinda spell have you put on my family woman?" He asked, throwing his arm over her shoulder and walking towards the room that Buck spent most of his time in. This room was where hard decisions were made. As he waited on her he stood in front of the pictures that lined the wall, one in particular catching his eye. It was one of Buck and his mom, standing in this very room. He had seen the photo thousands of times throughout his life but over the years it had become one of those things. Those things that you seen so much throughout your life that you stopped seeing it altogether. He had looked at it over the years but he had never really seen it.

His mom was looking at the camera but Buck was looking at her. Daryl looked a lot like her. Merle favored Buck. The only thing Daryl got from Buck were his eyes. His mom's eyes were a soft brown. Memories of her stirred up, rolling through his mind like ghosts, without much substance. It had been years since he had really thought about the impact her loss had had on him. He was always preoccupied, not stopping long enough to really think about her or what could have been. He imagined Buck spent a lot of time thinking about her. She had been warm, loving, always concerned about those around her. She was always patient with him and Merle. He smiled when he realized that Carol was a lot like her, in a lot of ways.

"Hey."

He turned his head as she came towards him, a worried look on her face. "Hey," he muttered.

"Are you okay?" She asked, her brows coming together forming a frown.

He nodded and looked back at the photo. "Yeah. I'm good."

She stopped next to him, studying the picture carefully. "Buck almost looks the same."

Daryl smiled, his eyes still on his mom. "Yeah, don't know how he ended up snaggin' my mom. They were too different. Nobody thought it would last."

"How were they so different?" She asked, staring at the photo.

"Bout like Odin and June. Like me and you." His voice was quiet.

"I don't think it matters. I don't think people have very much power over what their heart wants. It trumps everything else. Common sense especially."

"Common sense tell you to tuck tail and run as far away from me as you could get?" He asked, only half joking.

To his surprise he saw her nodding out of the corner of his eye. He was still staring at the picture of his mom. "Yes. But I couldn't do it."

He didn't say anything. Instead he did something that he had done several times during their brief time together. He pulled her until she was in front of him and wrapped his arms around her waist. And that was when it happened. He could have sworn that his mother's smile grew just a little. Her eyes were now knowing, like she knew the thoughts rushing through his mind. Carol stiffened in his arms as he grew very still. He didn't even breath. The room seemed to sway as all the tumblers seemed to fall into place in his mind. Her inexplicable and sudden sickness. The fragility of her emotional state. The odd behavior that Merle had told him about. Her need to wear his shirts that were much too big for her.

Maybe he didn't know her like his brother did now. Maybe he didn't know her favorite food or the type of movies she liked best. Maybe he didn't know her favorite type of music or what books she liked to read. But what he knew, knew like the back of his hand, was her body. He had mapped it out many times. He knew every soft curve, every flat plain.

With his mother watching him he shakily slipped his hand under the front of the shirt, over the obvious bump where her belly had once been flat. Her skin was hot under his touch and she was so still she could have been made of warm stone. His heart thumped hard and fast in his chest and he knew she could feel it. He flattened his hand over her stomach, exploring the smooth roundness there and finally sucked in some much needed air.

"I was going to tell you as soon as you got out. I didn't want you finding out in jail and I didn't want you knowing at all if you were going to go to prison."

He didn't say anything. Her words confirmed what he already knew. She was pregnant. It was his. Somewhere under his hand his own kid was forming, growing... His throat felt thick. His mother watched him, somehow a part of this moment.

"It happened quick, maybe the first time. I didn't know until after you were already in jail..."

Through the chaos in his head a thought occurred to him and he scowled. Leave it to him to conceive a baby against the wall in a dirty garage. He still couldn't get his mind to fully wrap around the idea, no matter how obvious. A small part of him wanted to bolt from the room. He wanted to climb up onto the roof and get so fucking fried that he wouldn't have to think about what this meant.

But that was a very small part of him and those thoughts were brief. His thoughts started growing very calm, like his brain knew he needed some kind of endorphin to help him deal with this. He continued to run his hand over her.

"Please say something, even if I don't want to hear it," she whispered.

"Are you okay with this?" He whispered back.

"Yes," she said, no doubt shading her voice. "I'm more than okay with this. I've been okay with this from the start."

"Did you know it could happen? I mean, I wasn't the most responsible guy but I just thought you were on the pill or somethin'."

She shook her head. "I've been on the shot for years but I missed it. I didn't know I missed it. Not until I got a call telling me that I had missed it. And I want you to know that you don't have to do anything you don't want to do. I don't expect anything from you."

"What?" He couldn't hide the disbelief in his voice.

She turned then so his hand was now pressed against her back. "I don't want you to think that I planned this to trap you or anything."

"Carol if you were gonna do somethin' like this to trap somebody you'd find a better catch than me."

She scowled. "Don't talk like that."

He felt like he needed to sit down but he was hesitant to let her go. "Who knows about it?"

She shook her head. "Just me. I think June knows too but she hasn't said anything. You know how she is."

He nodded. "Buck, Sophia... Merle?"

"I wasn't going to tell anyone until I told you."

"What is it?"

"I don't know yet. Are you sure you're okay? You look like you're gonna pass out. Or puke."

"Will you move in with me?"

She blinked in surprise. "Into the garage? Me, you, Sophia and a new baby sharing a room? Daryl, really. And I'm not taking anything else from Buck."

"The house," he said, feeling light headed.

She frowned. "I already told you that I'm not moving in with Buck. That's too many people and I'm not-"

He shook his head. "No. The house. The house was for you. It was always for you. The house was for you before I even went to jail. I just didn't get a chance to say anything. That's why he had you do everything."

"What?" She gaped. "What house?"

He nodded towards the picture. "My mama's house. The one you said you've been working on."

She shook her head. "I can't..."

"Why?" He was starting to panic. Had she been so willing to let him off the hook because she didn't want to actually be with him? Did she think that he could go back to just casually fucking her when she was pregnant with his kid? What the hell was wrong with this woman?

"It's too much, Daryl."

"You're havin' my fuckin' baby! You think I'm gonna let you raise it by yourself in some shitty apartment?"

"What!"

They both turned towards the door where Merle and Buck were standing, wide eyed. Carol ran her hand through her hair nervously. Buck and Merle stepped inside, followed by Sophia, Damon and Piper. Merle shut the door and turned to look at them. His eyes went to Carol. "What the hell did he just say?" Merle was pissed.

The door opened again and Randy, June and Odin came in. "Hey, you guys. The food is- What's wrong?" June asked, looking from face to face. "Oh. And the cat is finally out of the bag."

Daryl shook his head. "Couldn't you all have given me five more minutes? Goddamn!"

Piper made a face. "What the hell is going on?"

Carol groaned but Daryl was done. "She's knocked up, it's my kid and she wants to raise it in that shitty apartment of hers."

"I never said that!"

"You're knocked up!" Merle barked. "And it never occurred to you to tell me that? You looked me right in the goddamn eye and you lied to me after everything?"

Daryl went on the defensive then. "It ain't yours so why would she tell you?"

Merle glared. "As far as the last few months go it is too mine. I'm the one been takin' care of her and it both! You ain't got the slightest clue what the fuck I've gone through with her!"

"You fucker! That wasn't my fault!"

Merle threw his hands up. "It wasn't your fault that you did somethin' stupid and got locked up?"

"That's low, even for you. You know where my head was right before they locked me up. I was workin' on straightening my shit up." Daryl growled.

"Yeah you keep tellin' yourself that but me and you both know where your head really was. It was right up your ass where it's always been. You got in trouble cause you did what you always do and just like all the other times, I picked up the slack. I took care of what you couldn't. I was the one she called. I was the one that kept her goin'. Sure, you did your part and got her pregnant but I'm the one that's been stuck playin' daddy to a kid I didn't even know existed and that's why I should have fuckin' known." He was yelling now and Daryl knew he had every right to but it didn't make it any easier to hear.

Daryl took a few steps towards him but Carol grabbed his arm, stopping him. "That's enough. You two are acting like babies yourself."

Sophia looked between them then. "You're pregnant?" To Daryl's relief she didn't look unhappy about the idea.

Carol opened her mouth to say something but Piper cut her off.

"That's great cause so is Sophia," she grinned.

The room grew very quiet as everyone turned their heads slowly to stare at Sophia and Damon. Both looked like they had been punched in the gut.

Piper raised her hands. "Man, I was kidding. You guys are too intense."

Everyone in the room seemed to breath a sigh of relief as they glared at the girl.


	45. Chapter 45

**I'm ready for this week to be over! Almost there! Thanks for reading! =)**

 **Chapter Forty Five**

Carol was so overwhelmed that she was finding it hard to find her voice. Everyone seemed to be arguing at once. Buck was scolding Piper, Damon and Sophia were trying to assure June and Odin that Piper had been joking and Merle and Daryl looked like they were going to rip each others heads off, yelling over her. She hadn't wanted him to find out like this. She certainly wanted him to have a little time to process it before the whole family found out. She did feel guilty keeping it from Merle. He was right when he said that he had been the one to take care of her while Daryl was gone. But how could she tell him before she told Daryl? Whether Daryl was there or not, it was his baby.

"Can you all please just give us a minute?" She asked quietly.

Despite the low volume of her voice they all seemed to hear her. All eyes were resting on her now and then Buck started ushering them out. Merle met her eyes before he turned but she had to look away. She hadn't known that it was possible to hurt the man but she had. She could see it in the way he looked at her.

Once the door was closed and it was just her and Daryl she wasn't even sure what to say.

"Can you believe that asshole?" Daryl muttered, leaning against the table and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yes, I can," she said quietly.

He looked up at her. "What? You blame me too? Look, I did what I did to Dave before I was ready to straighten my shit up, okay? I didn't go out looking for trouble after..."

She nodded. "I know that. You would have been here if you could have been but maybe I should have just told you both. You know how many nights he stayed at that apartment? He held my hair back when I threw up. He sat with me when I couldn't sleep. He forced me to eat. He checked up on me three or four times a day while I was at work. Daryl, he stayed true to his word. You asked him to look after me while you were in there and he did more than you could have imagined. He should have known. You both should have known. This isn't your fault or his. This is my fault. But don't be mad at him, okay? Be mad at me."

"Or my damn self," he said with a shake of his head.

She sighed and leaned into him, grabbing his face and forcing him to look at her. "You can't blame anybody for the things that's happened. Things happened because I was forgetful and you were careless and I think that it all happened because it was suppose too happen. It was like a storm that kind of got out of control, and when a storm rages on like ours did, the levee's gonna break."

"My God," he said, looking up. "You have been around Merle a lot. You just quoted Led Zeppelin."

She smiled. "So you really aren't upset about this? About having a baby with a woman that's seven years older than you and you've only spent a little over a week with?"

He shook his head. "No. Scared to death, but not upset about it. Did you think I would be?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I knew you wouldn't abandon it or anything. I just wasn't sure that you would want the whole package."

He huffed out a breath and scooted further onto the table, pulling her so she was positioned between his legs. "I told Buck that I wanted that place before I ever knew there was a chance you would get knocked up. I've been a fuck up for long enough. I wanted you." He shrugged. "Now I want you both. All three of you."

She choked up at that. It was the most sincere she had ever seen him. He looked eager for her to understand and she wanted too but it wasn't easy. Her life up until this moment hadn't exactly been easy. She wasn't used to things being so good. All those years with Ed had jaded her. Her whirlwind relationship with Daryl had been more painful than not, considering he hadn't actually even been there for most of it. And she had spent months dreading him learning about the baby. "Okay," she said, tentatively agreeing to do what he wanted her to do.

"Okay, what?" He asked.

"I want to move into that house."

"No shit?"

"None."

He nodded. "You sure?"

"Yeah. I really hate that apartment and Sophia does too. You wouldn't believe how bad it is."

He laughed. "Yeah I would. Merle bitched about it every time I talked to him but I didn't wanna give you any shit. I figured I would give you enough when I got out."

She watched him closely and he seemed to be taking all of this in stride. But there was still a few things she needed to say to him and this was something else that made her nervous. But she had to get it out in the open before they moved any further. Before she packed up her daughter and moved into the house with him. "You know that I love who you are. I wouldn't try to change you."

He waited her out, not saying anything.

"I know enough to know that you've gotten used to living a certain way. I want you to make sure that you understand that if we do this, then this is it for you. No running off and... banging random women in that room upstairs. If you want to be with me then you have to be with me. No welcome home threesomes."

He scowled. "Come on. Are you serious? I wouldn't do anything like that. And what the hell are you talkin' about, welcome home threesomes?"

She raised a brow. "Merle and I were having breakfast and these two women approached him asking about you. They mentioned that the two of them wouldn't mind getting together and... giving you something they knew you'd like." She couldn't help but make a face.

He looked confused for a few seconds. "I don't know who it could have been," he said, sounding like he was being honest.

"Daryl, if you've done so much that you can't remember a night with two women then I'm scared that you're gonna lose interest in what I can offer you really fast. Really? You don't remember?"

He snorted. "Ain't you ever heard of sowing wild oats? I'm over all that."

"I sow my wild oats every time I sleep with you. I've been with one man my entire life. You."

He cocked an eyebrow. "Carol, you've got the sweetest stuff I've ever dipped into but I think Sophia is proof that you weren't no virgin when we met."

Her face flushed. "I said you're the only man I've been with. Ed is swine. Good grief, Daryl. And Merle mentioned something about a hot dog down a hallway after those girls walked away. That ring a bell?"

"Oh God." He looked a little sick. "Those two are still runnin' around together? Yeah, I remember now. The mammoth cave twins is what I called them in my head. Goddamn, what was wrong with me?"

She smiled. "You hadn't met me yet."

He shook his head. "That's probably it." He pulled her closer, his lips meeting hers quickly. "I gotta go talk to my brother. I said some shit that-"

"Can I talk to him first?" She asked quickly. She really did owe Merle an apology. "I really need to tell him how sorry I am."

He sighed but nodded, pushing her back so he could get up. "I'll send him in. Don't let him give you any shit."

"I never do," she grinned.

He left the room then, off to find his brother. She wasn't sure what she was going to say to him but she owed him. She owed him big. He hadn't had to do anything that he had done for her but he was always there. She didn't know exactly when but it went from him doing his brother a favor to him actually giving a damn about her and that was important to her. She had never had much as far as family went except for Sophia. Merle had been the brother she had never had. Buck doted on her without even knowing she was carrying his grandchild. June, with her compassion and understanding was like a sister to her.

Merle stomped in, slamming the door behind him. "I should kick your ass, you know that?"

Her eyes widened and she nodded, biting her lip. He was angry and she didn't blame him but she hated that his anger was pointed at her. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you," she said, unable to keep her eyes from growing wet and her voice from shaking.

He huffed and crossed the room, stopping just a foot away from her. "I get it. You needed to tell him and you couldn't. He'd have lost his fuckin' mind in there knowing that. But goddamn it, me and Buck was sure that whatever was wrong was gonna kill you. We really didn't know if you was gonna even make it till he got out. You know how fuckin' scary that was? Buck even made arrangements for Sophia to make sure if anything happened to you she would be with us and not Ed. We thought we were fuckin' losin' you."

A tear slipped down her cheek and he brushed it away quickly with his thumb. It wasn't the first time he'd done this. She had a feeling that it wouldn't be the last. "I know. It wasn't right. I just didn't know what to do."

He gave her a stiff nod. "I know."

"Are you still mad?"

He sighed but then his large hand cupped the back of her head and he pulled her into his chest. She wrapped her arms around him tightly. "I cleaned up puke for you, asshole. Hell yeah I'm mad. I still shoulda known. Fuck, I guess I shoulda guessed. I just didn't know you would be that goddamn irresponsible. You're old enough to know better, you know."

She laughed. "You would think."

"Daryl still pissed at me?" He asked gruffly.

She shook her head. "I think he might be mad that you said that his baby was yours but he'll be alright. I think now he just feels bad."

His raspy chuckled rumbled under her ear. "Yeah, well, he deserved it."

She pulled back enough so she could look up at him. "Do you think he'll cheat on me?"

He frowned. "Hell no. That boys so goddamn outta his head in love with you he'd chop his dick off and smack himself in the face with it before he'd go off and stick in anybody else."

She grimaced. "Merle, you're so disgusting. But thank you."

He grinned and then his lips pressed against her forehead as he draped his arms over her shoulders. "Any time, little sister.


	46. Chapter 46

**I took great pleasure in writing this chapter =) I don't know if you all will enjoy it as much as I have but I really hope so! Thank you all for reading and I am beyond happy that you're happy with this story so far! Have a great weekend!**

 **Chapter Forty Six**

Daryl kept her close for the rest of the night. Him and Merle were okay now and Buck was bragging to anyone that would listen that he was going to have another grand kid. Piper and Sophia stayed huddled together, their faces alight with some sort of teenaged excitement or another. He hadn't wanted to come out tonight but he had to admit that he was happy that they had thrown this all together so quickly.

They were outside, leaning against the building, when a car pulled in. The headlights were bright and there were too many people in the way for him to tell who it was. A couple of men laughed as they moved out of the way for the newcomer. Daryl tensed when he saw who it was.

"Right on time," Buck chuckled.

Daryl glared. "What the hell is he doin' here?" Carol was in front of him and his hands slid down to her stomach instinctively as his eyes scanned the area for Sophia.

Ed didn't look too happy but he did look better than he had last time Daryl had seen him. When his eyes landed on Carol they widened and then narrowed when he realized that she was pressed right up against Daryl. All of a sudden Merle was there, shoving a pen into Carol's hands.

"What the hell is going on?" She asked. She must have just realized that Ed was there because she tried to press herself even closer to Daryl.

Ed was making a beeline towards them, his features schooled until he studied Daryl's hand that was resting protectively over her lower stomach. He blinked stupidly, his pace slowing until he was standing about ten feet away, studying them. Buck cleared his throat loudly, snapping him out of it and then he closed the distance.

"Here," he said, his voice cold as he held out some papers.

"What is this?" Carol asked, not making a move to take them from him.

Merle took it instead, reading over the documents carefully, taking his time. "This right here is your divorce."

Daryl's head snapped up at the same time hers did. He thought he had heard his brother wrong. "Her what?"

Merle handed the papers off to Carol. "All you gotta do is sign it."

Carol stood there, staring at Merle and then she looked up at Ed. "You're giving me a divorce? And you aren't putting up any sort of fight?"

Ed shrugged.

"Buck called for it. He could either divorce you or he could walk," Merle explained.

Carol hurriedly signed the paperwork and then shoved it towards Ed. "This is fantastic!"

Ed reached for the papers but Merle snatched them away. "We'll file these ourselves." He said, triple checking.

Daryl pulled her back as Ed's face heated up. It was obvious that the man was pissed. "So you ended up with the boss's son, huh?"

"You don't talk to her unless her man tells you you can talk to her," Buck said in a hard voice. "What about the rest?"

Ed looked at him, shaking his head. "I never agreed to-"

"I don't give half a fuck what you agreed to. I told you to do somethin'. Did you not do it?" Buck raised an eyebrow. "I went to a lot of trouble to get it done, you better have done your part."

Ed mumbled something under his breath and then reached into his back pocket, producing some more papers that he had folded tightly. He handed them to Merle, who looked over them with a wide grin. "So, that's it," Ed said, hands on his hips. "I did everything that you wanted me to do. Now I want my patches."

Daryl felt his eyebrows shoot up. "What the hell are those papers?"

Merle and Buck shared a look. "These?" Merle asked innocently, holding them up.

"Yeah, dumb ass, those," Daryl barked.

Buck met his eyes. "He had a hearing the other day. He signed over his parental rights. He has no say in what happens in regards to Sophia. Not that he had much to say anyway."

Carol took the paper and Daryl leaned his chin on her shoulder so he could read it with her. It was all legit. It was signed by Ed and a judge that Daryl didn't know. Stamped, dated, completely legal. He looked up, meeting Buck's eyes. "When did you do all this?"

Buck shrugged, his cold eyes on Ed. "Been workin' on this since the night we took them outta there. Now, if you think you can manage doing so without getting your hands dirty, you can tell Ed here the news."

Ed frowned, his eyes scanning all of them. "What's goin' on?"

Daryl grinned. "You're kiddin'?"

Buck shook his head. "This is your get out of jail gift from your old man. You can thank me later. Carol, you might wanna come with me, darlin'. You might not want to hear this."

"What? No! I want to hear this. Do you have any idea what hell he put us through? Tell him whatever you need to tell him." She looked colder than he had ever seen her look before. There was nothing in her eyes but contempt. Contempt and relief. Her and Sophia were free of him now.

Daryl nodded. If she wanted to listen then she could listen. He knew her though. He knew that she'd get embarrassed but if she wanted to stay then she could stay. This was the man that had driven her to Daryl in the first place.

"Is somebody going to explain to me why the hell we aren't in there getting my patches right now?"

"You're a cocky mother fucker, ain't you?" Merle sneered.

Ed scowled and looked like he was about to say something but Daryl didn't give him a chance.

"Look Ed, this, this was all a big joke. Surprise." He grinned.

"What?" Ed still looked confused. Daryl needed to spell it out for him.

He took a long pull from the beer in his hand and noticed that the others around them were growing more and more quiet, sensing that something was about to happen. "You see, Carol and I met before you even came back to town."

Ed snorted. "That isn't true."

Daryl took another drink and then nodded, taking more pleasure from this than he thought possible. "It's true. She had some car trouble. I was pickin' my niece up from school. Sophia called Piper that night and I drove out, brought Carol back here. I was just gonna replace her battery but I ended up replacing you instead." He chuckled.

Ed shook his head. Disbelief clouding his features.

Someone handed Daryl another beer and he took his time with it. He nodded. "Yeah. I brought her back here, we had a few drinks. Hell, I didn't even get her all the way to my room. I just put her right up against the wall in the hallway and I fucked her right there until she was screamin'. She ever scream for you, Ed?"

Ed's face blazed with anger, his fists clenching.

"And that was a few days before you got back. I did her again that night up in my room. She spent the night. The next day, I tried out the shower. First time she'd ever gotten it from behind. You must be one boring ass lay."

"You son of a-"

"Then I snuck in her window the next night. Got real comfortable in your bed." He laughed. He almost hated cheapening his relationship with her like he was but if he was being honest, that was what it was in the beginning. He ran his hand over her stomach. "Somethin' tells me that's the night it happened."

"What happened?" Ed barked. "What the hell is this?" Daryl could have sworn that the man wanted to cry. He didn't blame him. The men around them were silent, watching, grinning.

Daryl grinned right along with them. "That was the night I got her pregnant."

The color drained from Ed's face and he shook his head.

"That meeting me and you had? It was bullshit. I just wanted to keep tabs on you. Make sure you didn't hit her anymore. My niee knew you'd hit her that day and thought on her toes. She made the whole thing up on the spot."

Another shake of his head.

"That day after I met with you. I ran into her at the store and I fucked her there too. I had her right after I talked to you the day before. We had us a good laugh at your expense. You look a little green around the gills. You gonna puke?" He turned to a few of the guys, actual prospects, and nodded towards the door. "One of you get this man a beer. He's had a rough night."

If Ed didn't stop shaking his head like that Daryl was pretty sure that he was gonna give himself whiplash. "This is some kind of initiation thing isn't it? You make up things and haze me. I get it."

Daryl laughed. "Jesus, are you serious? Listen to yourself, man. Don't embarrass yourself even worse. That's my job. You don't wanna steal my thunder now do you?" Daryl was having way to much fun with this.

"We had a deal! I did every goddamn thing I was suppose to do. I gave up everything for this club!"

Daryl sighed and ignored Ed's desperate pleas. "So, here's how this works. You're gonna climb back in your car. You're gonna drive home and cry or break shit or whatever it is that lonely, pathetic pieces of shit like you do when you find out something like this, and you ain't ever gonna show your fuckin' face around my club or my woman again. Did you get all that?"

"You can't do this!" He roared.

Daryl was about over this little meeting. "I can and I did. You treated her like shit. You made her feel worthless cause you're a goddamn pussy. Then I found her and had a hell of a time lickin' those wounds. You don't deserve a woman as good as her. Hell, I'm a better man than you could dream of bein' and I don't even deserve a woman as good as her. But she's mine, and I take care of what's mine. That means you stay the hell away. If I wake up in the middle of the night with a hunch that you're even thinkin' about her, I'll hunt you down and I'll rip your stupid ass apart."

"You people can't do this!" Ed sounded desperate as all of his dreams crashed down around him. It was finally sinking in.

Carol stiffened. "Everything he said was true," she said, her voice stronger than he thought it could be in a situation like this. "All of it. And now you have no business here. And thank you. For the speedy divorce and for giving up your rights to my daughter. She has all the family she needs. And any one of them will be more than happy to escort you to your car if you don't turn around right now and go."

Daryl rested his chin on her shoulder again and waggled his eyebrows. "You heard the lady." He grinned, unable to help himself.

"You're gonna pay for this," he snapped, eyes on Carol.

"I gave you sixteen years of my life. We aren't even close to being even. You owe me. You need to not forget that."

"You were a wife! You were respectable! You're trading all that in to be some biker's whore? Cause that's all you are now," he spat.

"Uh oh," Daryl muttered as Buck pushed off the wall and lumbered towards Ed.

Ed didn't have time to run or he would have. Buck's massive paw went around his throat and then Ed was thrown through the air, landing hard on his back in the gravel driveway. Buck was still coming towards him as he tried desperately to crawl away. Daryl knew how ugly it was going to get so he grabbed Carol's hand and led her back into the garage.


	47. Chapter 47

**Hope everyone is having a great weekend so far! Glad you liked the last chapter =) Thank you for reading!**

 **Chapter Forty Seven**

Ed took a beating worse than he had ever given Carol. She only heard bits and pieces of information throughout the night but it sounded bad. She didn't care. As soon as he was released from the hospital he was going to go straight to jail. Apparently, thanks to Shane and Buck, he had came here tonight violating a restraining order that Carol hadn't even known existed. He had made threats and Buck had acted in defense of her. There were witnesses.

She was exhausted by the time the party started to disperse. Everyone congratulated her and Daryl was proving to be much more attentive than she thought he would be. It was such a strange situation. The only other time they had really spent any amount of time with one another was the day before he had been arrested. And yet she felt like she had known him her whole life. Like he was some extension of her somehow.

"I'm so glad you were finally able to tell him," June said once she found Carol alone. Daryl was a few feet away, shooting pool with Merle and Buck and his uncle. Piper, Sophia and Damon had the other table.

Carol smiled at her. "I knew you knew."

"Of course I knew. That soup is an old family recipe. It was the only thing I could keep down for a long time after I got pregnant with Damon. Apparently Dixon's approve of it even in the womb."

Carol made a face. "I don't think I ever want to eat that stuff again."

"Oh, I don't blame you, sweetheart. Now, how are you? I mean, really? I know that you have to be worried. You've heard all the stories. You know that this life, it isn't an easy one."

Carol let her gaze linger on Daryl for a few moments. "No, I don't suppose it is. But at least during those times when things are hard, I'll have people behind me. My whole life was bad, and lonely. I'm gaining a lot more than I'm giving up. Trust me."

June smiled, looking towards Odin who was in the process of whacking Merle in the back of the head. "You're right. I think you are a little like me. I think you'll do just fine."

"I think so too," Carol said as she caught sight of Sophia walking towards her.

"Can we talk for a minute?" Sophia asked once she was next to her.

"Sure," Carol said, dreading this conversation but she took Sophia's hand and led her outside where the crowd was thinning out. "Are you going to throw a fit because I never let you know? I've already got an ear full from Merle. I suppose I'll get one from Buck later. But I'm ready." She raised her chin. "Let me have it."

Sophia laughed and shook her head, hugging her tightly. "Shut up."

Carol breathed out a sigh of relief, hugging her back. "Are you upset? You can tell me if you are. I know that this is all happening..."

"Fast?" Sophia raised one eyebrow. "Yeah, I've noticed. But no. I'm too old to be jealous. I'm excited. I never thought I'd be a sister. I actually always hoped I would never be a sister. I didn't want another kid to feel like I did. But this, this is actually exciting."

"Did you hear about Ed coming out here tonight?" Carol asked, wanting to get everything out in the open while they had a moment. It seemed like they were both too busy to talk about anything anymore so she wanted to take advantage of this moment.

"Yes. I heard a little but as soon as Daryl opened his mouth out there June grabbed Piper and I both and hauled us inside. I guess he got a little graphic."

Carol blushed. "Good Lord, he does have a mouth on him."

"Gross, mom. I don't need to know specifics." She grinned.

Carol's eyes widened. "Sophia!" She shook her head in disapproval but then she couldn't hold her laugh in anymore. "I'm serious though. How do you feel about that?"

She smiled. "Relieved. I don't want anything to do with him. I don't want his last name. I want to forget he ever existed."

Carol nodded. "I feel the same way to an extent. No matter how much I hate him for everything he's done, I got you out of it and that was worth all of the bad. I don't want his last name either. I really don't."

"Don't what?" Daryl asked from behind them.

Carol and Sophia both turned at the sound of his voice. "We don't want Ed's last name," Sophia said with a disgusted look on her face.

Daryl shrugged. "I don't blame you there, kid."

"There's always adoption. I'm fatherless now. How about making me a Dixon?" She grinned.

Daryl didn't grin back. He regarded her thoughtfully, glanced at Carol, and then shrugged. "I can do that."

Sophia and Carol both gaped at him. "I was only kidding Daryl. You don't have to do that."

He laughed. "Fuck it. You don't wanna be a Peletier, so be a Dixon. If you ain't noticed, I'm on a roll here. But you and Damon standing in front of a preacher with the same last name might make for some fucked up rumors about the family dynamics around here."

"I'm not getting married!" Sophia barked. "But you would really do that? You don't even know me." She watched him, wide eyed and hopeful.

"Shit, I don't know her either and you see how that didn't bother me," he nodded towards Carol.

"Is he serious?" Sophia asked, looking at Carol in amazement.

Carol could only shrugged. "I have no idea, honey."

"I am. I don't want him havin' another thing to do with either one of you. If I gotta sign some papers to make that shit more legit then hand'em over."

"Daryl, you can't just drink six beers and then decide that you're going to adopt a sixteen year old girl."

"I've had nine, and the fuck I can't. Why not? We'll all be livin' in the same house."

"What house?" Sophia asked.

"I didn't get a chance to tell her that part," Carol said, studying his face. He didn't look like he'd had nine beers.

He looked at Sophia. "The house that you all worked on so hard. That house."

Sophia's mouth dropped open. "That house? You mean we aren't going to be living in that apartment anymore."

"No," he said firmly. "Hell no. We'll go back to Buck's tonight and then I'm getting your shit out of that place tomorrow."

She wasn't going to argue with him. For one, she wouldn't win and for two, she simply didn't have it in her to bother.

"You ready to get the hell outta here?" He asked suddenly, like he could just tell how tired she felt.

She nodded. "Yes but I'm not getting on that bike with you after you've been drinking."

He rolled his eyes. "No shit. You can drive Damon's car to Buck's. Damon can take my bike."

She agreed but it took another thirty minutes to say goodbye to everyone. By the time she got into the car all she could think about was crawling in bed and going to sleep. She was pretty sure that it was the first time she had thought of a bed and Daryl at the same time without instantly thinking about having sex with him.

The drive home felt like it took longer than it usually did and she was relieved to finally turn down the drive. So much had happened. Daryl had came home. He knew that he was going to be a dad. She found out that he actually wanted to live with her, in the house that she adored. She was now divorced from Ed and she hadn't had to do a thing. Sophia was free of him, legally. It seemed as though she was getting everything she could have asked for all in one day.

She let Sophia sit outside with Damon, Piper and another boy. Buck would run the boys off when he got home because she was too tired to bother with it. It was summer break so she may as well let them have as much fun as they could.

"I've been lookin' forward to this for months," Daryl said, taking off his shirt before they even made it to the bedroom.

"What? Sleeping in your own bed or sleeping with me?" She asked with a sleepy smile.

"Both," he grumbled, making his way to the bathroom. "Those damn mats they have at the jail killed me."

When he shut the door she went straight to his closet and pulled out another one of his shirts, stripping out of her clothes and dressing quickly. She was nervous about him seeing her. Those old insecurities were hard to shake. She had repulsed Ed by the time she started showing and even though she knew that the two of them weren't even the same species, she was still scared that he wouldn't feel the same about her as he did before her body started changing.

She was under the blanket with the light off before he even came out of the bathroom. "You really that tired?" He asked, crawling over her instead of walking to his side of the bed.

"You have no idea. I'm usually asleep by nine."

"I thought you took a nap every day?"

"Merle's is such a big mouth. And I do. But I still feel sleepy by nine."

He groaned as his back hit the mattress. "My God. You have no idea how good this feels."

"Actually I do. My bed at the apartment is horrible. It feels like I'm sleeping on springs covered with a sheet. I hate it. I think that's why I sleep here on the couch so deep. Merle says nothing wakes me up."

"Merle would know," Daryl sighed.

"If it makes you feel any better, the only reason he did all he did was because of you."

He rolled over, facing her, and pulled her towards him. She came willingly. "I think that's why he did at first. Then he did it cause he wanted to do it. If Merle has to do shit he don't want to do he ends up bein' a real ass. Merle did that shit cause he cares about you. They all do."

She hummed in response, his heavy arm over her causing her to feel even more sleepy.

"Carol?"

"Hmm?"

"You know that shit that I said to Ed tonight?"

She rolled over onto her back. "Yeah," she whispered, feeling a little embarrassed about how he had delivered that information. She had almost wished that she had gone inside. But then, she would have missed that look on his face and that would have been a shame.

"I didn't mean to make that night in your room sound all cheap and shit. It wasn't like that. Not for me anyway."

She felt his hand slip up her shirt. "I know that. But what about the night before that?"

She felt his breath blow across her neck as he laughed softly. "That was cheap."

She grinned, her heavy eye lids closing. "It really was."

"But that other night meant somethin'."

"It did," she agreed, falling asleep almost as soon as the words left her mouth.


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter Forty Eight**

He wasn't sure what woke him. It was either the thunder and rain raging outside or the warm lips pressing against his chest. Either way his eyes snapped open. There was gray watery light leaking through the edges of the dark curtains but the bed was further in the room, bathed in shadows. Her hand boldly slid down his boxers.

"Are you awake?" She whispered right before her teeth caught his earlobe, tugging gently.

"Am now," he croaked as she started pushing the boxers down his hips. He needed to just sleep naked if she was going to make a habit of doing shit like this as soon as he woke up. Her hair and skin were damp and he could smell her soap. "How long you been up?" He asked, stripping quickly.

"Long enough. I realized when I woke up that you've been locked up for three months and I fell asleep on you on your first night out." She slid over him, straddling his hips, her lips meeting his fiercely. She was already naked and he had to wonder if she had came straight from the shower to the bed.

"That's alright," he groaned when she sat up and reached behind her, grabbing him firmly.

He shook his head and pulled her hand away. He owed her one and he was a man that paid his debts. If nothing else, he was efficient. He pushed her so she was on her knees and then pulled her up until she was straddling his chest.

"Daryl, what are you-

"Grab the headboard," he said in a rush.

"What?" She asked but when he looked up she had complied. He slid down quickly, heard her strangled gasp and then traced her with the very tip of his tongue before plunging it into her as deep as he could. His mouth was flooded with the taste of her and she shuddered, one hand reaching down, gripping the top of his head. He changed tactics, sucking gently. He was startled when she came, not expecting it to end this quickly but not complaining. Her thighs tightened spasmodically when he sucked harder. Broken words and whimpers left her as she struggled to keep quiet.

When she stilled he slid out from under her quickly, and came up on his knees behind her, hauling her up with a firm grip on her hips. She raised up, her back flat against his chest. With a groan he pushed into her as he ran the flat of his tongue up the back of her neck. His breath rushed out of him, never able to quite get used to how perfectly she gripped him. His hand shot out, needing the headboard himself this time. His other hand slid between her legs and her body trembled.

"This is so much better than doing it myself," she muttered as he started moving into her.

He faltered slightly, "You do that a lot?"

She leaned forward, pushing against him, matching his movements. "Two or three times a day for the last few weeks," she panted.

That left him with one hell of an image in his mind and he sped up slightly. Mother nature decided to do him a favor just then as a loud crack of thunder shook the windows just as she clenched around him and cried out. He reached up, clamping his hand over her mouth, knowing that there was a house full just outside the door and down the hall. He ground his teeth together and willed himself to hold off. If she'd been working herself for weeks then it was obvious that she needed more than this. When he was finally able to let go of her mouth he pulled out of her.

"Roll over," he managed to growl.

She did, making a startled sound when he grabbed her ankles and pulled her down further. As soon as he was braced between her legs they wrapped around him, her heels pushing his ass further into her, a silent demand. He was more than happy to oblige as his lips found hers and he drank in the small sounds of pleasure she made.

"Daryl," she gasped, pulling her face away from his.

"Hmm?"

"Fuck me harder."

He stuttered to a stop, his eyes widening. It wasn't like the words were so bad but coming out of her mouth they were just flat out fucking dirty. Vulgar. And he liked it. A lot actually. He came up on his knees, lifted her hips and slammed into her, doing exactly what she wanted him to do. He couldn't hold on. Not doing it like this but it seemed to be okay because again, her body came undone. Her hands came up, gripping the slats in the headboard and she raised her hips even higher. She kept her mouth clamped shut and breathed through it this time, keeping him from having to stop to cover her mouth. He let go with a shudder. Dropping over her, growling like an animal into her throat as the intensity of his own orgasm knocked the wind out of him. Her arms locked around his neck, anchoring him to her.

He was completely relaxed, sated, until a horrifying thought slammed into his mind, causing him to scurry off of her like a frightened squirrel.

She came up on her elbows. "What's wrong?"

He ran a hand through his hair, his eyes darting around the room. "Why the hell did you have me do that!" He barked loudly.

She sat up. "What are you talking about?"

"Jesus, I probably gave it a fuckin' concussion!" Fear had his hands shaking.

"Daryl, what are you-" Her voice trailed off once she realized what he was talking about and to his surprise she laughed.

"What the hell's so fuckin' funny, Carol? It ain't even born yet and I probably just beat it to death! Are you insane?"

"Daryl, it's fine. I-" She laughed even harder. "People can still do it when they're pregnant. It's perfectly normal, healthy. It's okay."

He yanked on his boxers and stood up. "Are you sure? Maybe you should go to the doctor or somethin'. And don't ever ask me to fuck you harder again, cause it ain't happein'." His heart was pounding out a panicked rhythm.

"I don't need to go to the doctor. I'm fine. It's fine. We're fine. I swear to God you are the most adorable man I've ever met."

He scowled and sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling her towards him by the ankle. "Laugh it up, Carol. That shit ain't funny."

"I'm sorry," she said, sounding sincere. "But really, it's fine. You don't have to handle me with kid gloves. They all handle me with kid gloves. Merle, Buck, Odin. All of them, and that was before they knew. I can handle them treating me that way. I can't handle you doing it too."

"I'm still not doing that again," he grumbled, letting her turn his head so she could kiss him.

"Fine. We can just do it slow and easy for the next six months." She stood up, turning to head over to the closet but he stopped her, with a gentle hand on her wrist. She turned and he hauled her towards him by the waist. "Last night I threw a fit over you two movin' into that house. I wasn't listening to a damn thing you were trying to say. Did you just agree to do it to shut me up?"

She pushed his hair back, her lips pressing against his forehead. "No, I didn't agree just to shut you up."

"I can't make you do something you don't wanna do. That ain't what I was doin'. I don't own you."

She laughed. "I thought one of the perks of being in a club was the fact that you can take what you want? You claim a woman and that woman is yours."

He shook his head. "You ain't the type of woman that a man can just take like that. Some of the chicks that hang around there, they want it. They're around for one reason and that's to do whatever they can to snag one of us. You might think it looks like a crap deal but the women, the real women, they're the bread and butter of this whole set up. The reason I couldn't get you out of my head to begin with was, you weren't like those girls that hang off any single, or sometimes not so single, member of the club. You came cause I brought you here, and you weren't fuckin' impressed with any of it, not the same way they are. I wasn't shit to you and I knew it. I fuckin' loved it. Well, not at first, but you know what I mean."

She shook her head. "I really don't."

He wasn't good at this kind of shit. He had to try to make her understand. "You're more than just some woman that I saw and then conquered, you know?"

"I know."

"And if you really didn't want to live there, I wouldn't try to force you to. You know that too, right?"

"Of course I know that."

"I don't want my kid growin' up in that apartment though."

"Daryl, what are you getting at?"

"If you're only doin' this because I said you had to then I don't want you doin' this. We can figure something else out. I don't own you. You ain't nobodies property. If you were the type to jump at the chance to be owned then I wouldn't want you. I..."

She grabbed his hands and pulled him up from the bed. He was very aware that she was still very naked. "I love you."

He blinked, his hands stilling on her hips. He loved her too but he'd never said it out loud. He had agreed when other people mentioned it. He had admitted it in his head thousands of times. But the words had yet to ever be uttered and he froze up at the thought of handing over that power to her. He opened his mouth but no words came out.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly, shifting on her feet. "I didn't mean that. I mean, I did mean it but I don't expect you to feel the same way. I just thought you needed to-"

"Shut up," he muttered, kissing her hard just to give himself a moment to calm his racing thoughts. When he pulled his face back she was gripping his wrists hard. "I love you too." There. That wasn't so hard. He didn't feel less manly for having voiced it. He just felt kind of stupid for stumbling over the words like he had.

"You don't have to say that."

"I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true."

She nodded and then jumped when thunder clapped loudly, the rumble seeming to vibrate between them. "I don't think we'll be moving my stuff today."

"We should just leave it. Fresh start and all."

"I at least need my clothes."

"I'll buy you knew clothes. Women are into shit like that, right?"

"Me and Sophia can go get our clothes, Daryl. I need to talk to her anyway. I need to make sure all of this is okay. She seemed happy but you never know. Everything happened fast."

He agreed but he had a strange feeling about letting her go on her own. Maybe it was the weather. Maybe he was just hyper sensitive because he had just gotten out of jail. Or maybe it was because of the look Ed had given her the night before. "Okay, but I'm gonna tail you just in case."

"You're paranoid," she laughed.

He shook his head. "Cautious. There's a difference. In my line of work, you learn to be."


	49. Chapter 49

**I didn't go over this very thoroughly because it's about to storm pretty bad here and I wanted to get it out before I lost internet connection! Thanks for reading! =)**

 **Chapter Forty Nine**

She stared at her reflection with a deep frown forming between her eyes. It was no longer a secret, thanks to Buck telling everyone after they walked in on the conversation she had with Daryl the night before. She didn't have to keep wearing Daryl's shirts to cover up her expanding stomach but now she just felt self conscious. With Sophia she hadn't started showing until she was nearly five months. Again, this was proving to be a much different experience. It was almost like Sophia had been as timid as Carol had been back then. This baby was already more like Daryl. The clingy tank top that she had on only seemed to make it look bigger.

"What the hell are you doin'?" He asked, causing her to jump.

She shrugged and reached for the t-shirt she had tossed onto the dresser. "Nothing."

He snatched it away, holding it out of reach when she tried to grab it back. "Daryl, give me the shirt."

"You're already wearin' a shirt."

She looked at her reflection again, this time she had a clear view of her side profile and she shook her head. "I'm not wearing this out there."

He quirked a brow. "Why?"

She looked down and he followed her gaze with a wide grin. "Because I don't want people staring at me. Why are you smiling at me like a lunatic?"

"There ain't nobody out there that don't already know," he argued, still keeping her from taking the shirt back. "And people are gonna stare whether you hide it or not. People know, Carol. It's common knowledge now."

She sighed and gave up. "Fine."

"Are you ashamed of it?" He asked.

She scowled. "Why would you even say something like that?"

He shrugged. "Cause you're hidin'."

"Cause I look fat," she stated simply, remembering all to well how repulsive she was to Ed when she was pregnant with Sophia.

"You don't look fat. You look knocked up. There's a difference."

"So in a few months when I look like a swallowed a water melon, you're still gonna want to look at me?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Fuck, I planted it. Might as well get to see the fruit of my labor." His voice was so sincere, the grin on his face so wide that she couldn't help but shed a little of that anxiety. This was going to be a much happier experience.

"Well, I'm glad you're so proud of yourself," she shook her head and followed him out the door.

He snorted, reaching back and grabbing her hand, probably so she wouldn't dart back to the room and put his shirt on anyway. When they stepped into the kitchen there were more people than she expected. The whole damn club seemed to be there. Well, that was an exaggeration but there were more people than she thought would be there anyway.

Merle glanced up, meeting her eyes first and then raked his gaze over her. He smiled, shook his head and went back to his breakfast. June and Odin were there also with Damon in tow. Randy was there too, along with Sophia and Piper. There were also three men that she hadn't met before. It was these three that had her anxiety rising. They didn't look friendly.

"Who the fuck are you?" Daryl asked, letting go of her hand and walking towards the stove.

"We wanna know what happened to our cousin, Dixon. He may have disappeared on the law but he wouldn't have taken off like that and not told us where he went."

Carol watched Daryl's face. He looked calm, almost arrogant. "And what makes you think we know where the little faggot is?"

"Daryl," Buck said, a clear warning in his voice.

Carol still hadn't sat down. She was watching the men as they glared at Daryl. She noticed that all of them were dressed similar to how the other club members dressed. Vests, patches, scowls. But they were different.

"He was the one that had the power to put you away. We know that you had something to do with it," the biggest man said.

Daryl leaned against the counter. "And how do you figure I did that? I was in jail."

The man shook his head. "Just tell us if he's still alive. He may have been a creep but he was family. Surely you people can respect that."

"Us people?" Daryl crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes growing hard. "You gonna bring your asses into my dad's house and then insult him and the rest of us?"

"Daryl," Buck growled.

"No, fuck these mother fuckers, Buck."

One of the men stepped forward, his eyes flashing. "No, fuck you, Dixon. We know you all did something and you're gonna tell us what it is!"

Carol watched, everything seeming to move in slow motion. Daryl pushed off the counter, going straight for the man that had just spoken, Buck launched himself out of his chair, grabbing him from behind and hauling him back. Damon watched Buck pull Daryl backward with a stormy look. Damon knew exactly what Daryl had been planning on doing and decided to take it upon himself to act for him. Before Odin could make a grab for him Damon had the man pinned against the wall by the throat. One of the man's friends went to grab Damon and that was when Odin stepped in, grabbing the man by the shirt and hauling him backwards. Merle and Randy both tried to drag Damon off the man but the boy was like an Ox when he was angry. Before they could move him he punched the man right in the face.

Throughout all of this, Piper sat calmly, her large green eyes taking in the chaos as she chewed on a piece of toast. Even Sophia, who Carol was worried about, was watching the events unfold with a detached look while she sipped her orange juice. The baby even kicked soundly, like he wanted in on the action.

It all happened fast and it ended even quicker. The men were hauled out of the house and onto the front porch. Carol stood where she was as Odin slammed Damon back into his chair.

"What? He can't come in here disrespecting our family like that!" He argued.

Odin stuck his finger in his face. "There's a goddamn reason this needed to be handled without spillin' any blood and you know it." Odin yelled.

Damon opened his mouth so say something else but suddenly June's quiet voice sounded, silencing Odin and Damon both.

"That's enough," she said. "We're dealing with a situation that's delicate, Damon and you know it. You were out of line."

To Carol's surprise the boy actually looked cowed. He looked down at his plate. "He still didn't have any right too-"

"Damon," she warned, raising one brow at him. "You are not Daryl and I won't have you acting like you are. You need to think before you act or you're eventually going to find yourself in the same spot he was in. You're right. Those men had no business coming here, but you had no business jumping into the situation. You're seventeen years old and it's high time you learned your place. Do you understand me?"

He nodded, still not looking up.

"Carol, sweetheart, sit. I'll fix you a plate." She smiled and walked towards the stove. Daryl was still glaring towards the door. "And you!"

His head shot up, eyes fixing on June's small form.

"You are about to be a father for Christ's sake, Daryl Dixon. You have no choice but to reign it in. You can _not_ just get upset and then punch someone in the face! You do realize that you're on probation, right? And how would you feel if you were sitting in a cell while your child was born. You should be ashamed of yourself!"

He glanced at Carol, his face turning red all the way up to his ears.

"Sit and eat your breakfast. I won't have my morning ruined because my family wants to pretend like they are a bunch of neanderthals. Girls, would you like some more?"

Piper and Sophia both shook their heads. Daryl sat down heavily next to Carol, looking very much like a scolded child. June sat their plates down just as Merle, Buck and Randy came back into the room. Buck shot Daryl a look but Daryl just rolled his eyes.

"You ain't gotta start. I fucked up, alright? I'm tryin' here," he grumbled.

Buck shook his head. "I pray to God you're own son don't give you the trouble you've given me, boy, but if he does it'll serve you right. The damn day after you get out of jail you're gonna pull a stunt like that?"

Daryl shared a look with Damon from across the table. "Fuck, I wasn't thinkin', alright?"

"You want your kid growin' up callin' Merle dad?" Buck barked.

"Fuck you, Buck," Daryl growled.

"Can we just eat? It's done and over with," Carol said, surprising herself by speaking up at all. "What you did was stupid but I don't blame you for reacting that way. And as far as this baby goes, it will definitely know who it's father is. It was a slip up. It's over."

Everyone sitting around the large table was staring at her with a different look. June smiled and gave her a stiff nod. She thought maybe she understood a little better what Daryl was talking about. The women in this family had a tough job.

Piper sighed. "You gotta admit though, Damon landed a beautiful right hook."

"Piper," Merle shook his head.

Carol ate in silence, listening to the bickering and thinking about the men that had shown up here. All she knew for sure was that Buck had had a talk with Dave and he wasn't planning on showing up to testify, forcing the prosecutor to drop the worst of the charges. But what could Buck have said that had the man alienating his own family? "What exactly did you say to Dave Henderson?" She asked suddenly.

She didn't think much of the question until the room grew very quiet and the tension that followed that silence was a heavy one. Daryl tensed at her side but she wasn't looking at him. She was looking at Buck. He met her eyes unflinchingly, eyes that had regarded her with affection and concern. Eyes she had grown to adore because there always seemed to be a humorous spark in them that put her at ease. He sat his coffee cup down, the sound seeming to echo throughout the silent room. From the corner of her eye she saw Daryl shake his head slightly.

Buck cleared his throat and folded his hands on the table. Those eyes turning hard as his lips turned up in a humorless smile. "He's dead."


	50. Chapter 50

**I got so lucky! As soon as I posted yesterday my internet went out because of the storm. Good timing! Thanks for reading! =)**

 **Chapter Fifty**

Sophia watched the blood drain from her mother's face. She was sure she hadn't looked that pale since she had been sick. Her skin looked ashen, like she was on her deathbed. Sophia knew what her mother was feeling because she was pretty sure she looked the same way.

Dead.

The way Buck had delivered the word seemed to chill the air around them all. It was said with such nonchalance. Like he had just told them that the man had gone off on vacation.

"Dead?" Carol asked in a strained voice.

"Fuck," Daryl muttered running a hand through his hair.

A chill brushed across the back of Sophia's neck as she realized that if Buck or any of the others had done something to the man, it was because she had handed him to them. Damon and Piper had gone on the hunt and managed to find him but they hadn't done what Sophia had. She had actually talked to him. Gotten his address. Made the call to Buck. She had helped them kill someone.

"Carol, don't freak out until you know the whole story, okay? Just listen-" Daryl began but Carol shook her head.

"You killed him," she stated flatly. "He was going to testify against Daryl and you couldn't let that happen and you killed him." This was to Buck.

Buck shook his head. "That ain't how it all came to happen, okay? You need to hear the story."

Sophia glanced at Damon, who was staring at his plate. That was why him and Piper had been so secretive. They had known that as soon as they found the man that he would be killed to keep Daryl out of prison. And they hadn't told her. They had let her believe that Buck and some of the others were just going to scare the guy into keeping his mouth shut.

She stood up at about the same time her mother did.

"Carol, can I talk to you?" June spoke up suddenly.

Carol looked at the woman and then shook her head. "No. I think I need to go."

"Go? Just wait a minute, alright. Let somebody explain," Daryl said, standing with her.

Her eyes turned on him. "He was a threat and so he was taken care of. I understand. I just... I'm gonna go home."

"What the fuck do you mean, home? To that apartment?" Daryl barked.

June stood up then. "Carol just listen."

"Sophia, let's go," Carol said as she walked by quickly.

Sophia would have probably argued with her if she wasn't so stunned. But the truth was, she needed to get out. She needed to think. She needed to come to terms with the fact that there was a man out there dead somewhere and it was partially because of her. She felt like Damon and Piper had set her up. Betrayed her. Her own boyfriend and the best friend she had ever had, someone that was like a sister to her. But that wasn't right either. She had been eager to help them. They had tried to keep her in the dark and she hadn't let them. Then again, if she had known that there was going to be a murder involved then she would have gladly stayed as far from the situation as she could.

She had wanted to help her mom. She had wanted to help Daryl. She felt like she was a part of this family. And now she felt like she had that man's blood on her hands. Sure, he had been a total creep but had they had to kill him? Did his life not matter as much or more than Daryl's freedom had? She was getting very used to the way things were around here but this was too much.

She followed her mom towards the door but someone grabbed her arm. She looked up and Damon was staring down at her. "Can you just let me explain?"

She shook her head. "I'll talk to you later, okay..." She pulled her arm away from him and walked away, unsure if she really was willing to talk to him later. Or ever again. The thought had her whole heart hurting.

~H~

She pulled Sophia out the front door, leaving the dining room full of stunned Dixons. As far as she could tell, no one followed her or Sophia. The rain was still coming down in sheets but she didn't even hesitate before pulling Sophia down the steps and towards her car. Her mind was spinning and her heart felt heavy. How could Buck look her in the eye and say that the man was simply dead? Why would he say it so calmly? It was like a mans life meant nothing. Was this the kind of lifestyle she wanted for her child? For either of her children? A world where human life meant so little. So little that it could be discussed around the breakfast table with the whole family? And she wasn't stupid enough to think that Dave had died of natural causes. He had been killed. Killed so he couldn't testify against Daryl.

"Carol!"

She turned and watched as Daryl hopped over the porch railing and jogged towards her. She didn't want to talk to him right now. She just wanted to go back to her apartment where it was quiet. She wanted to think.

"Goddamn it, would you listen to me for a fucking second?" He yelled once he made it to the car.

She was about to open the door but he moved in front of her so she couldn't get to the handle. "Daryl, just let me go. I'll be back. I'll call you. I just don't want to be here right now.

"Sophia, get back in the house," he said, his voice raised over the rain. They were already soaked.

Sophia took a step towards the house, looking as stunned as Carol felt. Carol glared at him. "Sophia, get in the car."

Sophia turned to head back towards the car.

"Sophia, just get back in the damn house!" He barked.

Sophia turned again, looking between the two of them. "I'll just go wait on the porch until you're finished. Is that okay?"

They both nodded and she sprinted for the porch, just as Damon stepped out the front door. Carol looked up at him. "Daryl, get out of my way."

"You ain't leavin' outta here all half cocked like that. You don't understand."

"Did you know?" She asked suddenly.

He blinked rain out of his eyes and shook his head. "I didn't at first, no."

She shook her head. "But you did know. You found out eventually and it never occurred to you to tell me about it?"

"I didn't know the whole fucking story! I still don't. All I know is, Buck went to talk to him and then things happened."

"As in, your father killed a man," she said flatly.

"Just calm down and hear him out, alright. You can't just get all bent outta shape and leave like that. You gonna take off on me every time a skeleton jumps out of my closet?"

"Have you killed people?"

He threw his hands in the air. "Goddamn it, get back in the house. You're getting soaked!"

"You aren't my boss, Daryl, remember? You don't own me," she snapped, blinking rain out of her own eyes now.

"No but half of that _is_ mine and I ain't lettin' you catch pneumonia just because you're wantin' to stand out here and argue," he said, pointing to her stomach.

She pushed her dripping hair out of her face and then finally stormed past him towards the house. He was right. She didn't need to stand out there and argue with him. She didn't need to get sick. Not right now. Not after only being better for a month. "Fine, I'll hear him out and then I'm leaving."

"Whatever you say," he grumbled, following close behind her.

She stormed up the porch steps and into the house, ignoring the argument that Sophia was having with Damon. When she made it to the dining room the others were still there but Buck and Merle were nowhere to be seen.

"Garage," Piper said, nodding towards the door off the kitchen that led out to the garage.

Carol didn't say a word. She left them all staring after her, all except Daryl. He was hot on her heels. Buck and Merle were there, at the far end, and it looked like they were in a heated debate. Buck noticed her first and he shut his mouth quickly. When Merle turned he sighed heavily.

"You okay?" Merle asked, knowing that she would be bothered by all of this.

"No." She met Buck's steady gaze. "I want to know how you could do something like that? You know how happy I am that Daryl's walking free but at the cost of another man's life? A man that had family and friends and a future? You may have a lot of authority around here but you can't just go around playing God. You shouldn't get to pick and choose who lives and who dies."

Buck kept his eyes on her even after she was finished. She hadn't realized how loud she had gotten until the room grew quiet. "Are you finished?" He asked, raising a brow.

She crossed her arms over her chest, partly out of outrage and partly out of trying to conserve her body heat. The garage wasn't very warm. "Yes. I just want you to tell me why."

"Sophia," he said calmly.

Carol glanced at Daryl but his eyes were on Buck, ever hopeful that the man could defuse the situation. "Sophia? That man didn't even know Sophia," she argued.

Buck nodded. "He didn't know it was Sophia. See, we tried to find him when all of this first happened. And all we were going to do was scare him out of testifying. I was gonna talk and he was gonna listen and that was it. But that ain't how things came about."

"What does she have to do with Dave? She never met the man," Carol argued with a shake of her head.

Buck nodded. "Damon and Piper found Dave for us. The younger people associated with this club have a lot to prove. Especially if their last name is Dixon. So those too worked the younger scene until they finally got a lead. When they did they took off on their own, with Sophia in tow. They drove to South Carolina and scoped out the area he was suppose to be living."

"And they found him," she stated, feeling a little ill. They were just kids. Kids that went on a manhunt and drove across state lines.

"They did but they couldn't figure out where he was staying. I needed an address. That's when Sophia decided that she was going to approach him. Damon hadn't wanted her to do it but Piper egged her on. She met him in a park and acted like she was interested in meeting up with him. He has a thing for young girls so he gave up his hide out right away at the prospect of getting Sophia at his place."

"Oh my God," she breathed.

Buck sighed. "Damon was close. She wasn't gonna get hurt, even though I blew my top when they first told me what had happened. Trust me. But at least I was able to have that talk with Dave. So I drove out as soon as Sophia called with the news. Mind you, he thought he was meeting your daughter that night."

"I think I need to sit down," she muttered, feeling a new kind of chill. Without missing a beat Merle grabbed her under her arms, lifting her easily and sat her down on the workbench. She took the jacket that Daryl offered her. From the look on his face, he didn't know this part of the story any more than she did.

"I busted in. He hadn't been expecting me, of course. Me and him got to talkin' and I noticed that he kept looking at a door off the living room. Every few seconds his eyes would dart over there. I had Randy check it out. Randy found a bunch of shit we hadn't expected to find. He had everything he needed for when Sophia showed up that night. Handcuffs. Roofies. Other drugs. Duct tape. Randy found this old Polaroid camera hid way back in the drawer. Found pictures. A lot of pictures. Girls that looked even younger than ours, knocked out and cuffed to the fuckers bed. All of'em naked and posed all fucked up. I thought, what the fuck woulda happened if it hadn't been Sophia in that park? What if some other little girl had met him instead? I lost it."

"Jesus Christ," Daryl muttered, his face pale.

Carol shivered but it wasn't from the cold. "And then you killed him?" She asked after the silence stretched on.

Buck nodded. "I did. If you'd seen those pictures, you woulda begged me to kill him. I have no doubt. And you might think less of me for it but I don't regret it either. Truth is, some lives matter more than others and every now and again, a man ain't got no damn choice but to play God."

She met his eyes again, a knot of anger forming in her gut. She was angry at her daughter, first of all, for even thinking of putting herself in a situation like that. And she was angry at herself for not even knowing her daughter had been doing this to begin with. And she was angry that she felt a deep satisfaction knowing that the scumbag wouldn't be doing anything like that to any other children. "I'm so sorry," she muttered, shaking her head.

Buck shrugged. "You thought I went and killed some guy just to get Daryl outta trouble. Can't blame you for getting pissed at that."

She shook her head. "I can't believe she did that. I really can't believe any of them did that. What am I going to do with her?"

Merle snorted. "Have you seen what the fuck I have to put up with? Sophia just wanted to help. She wanted Daryl out of jail and she wanted you to be happy. Piper did that shit just cause she's got a point to prove. She's tough. Damon did it cause he probably thought he'd be able to get the first blow in on the guy. Sophia ain't a bad girl, Carol."

"Why didn't you two tell me any of this?" Daryl asked. So far he hadn't said much.

Buck shook his head. "No sense in it really. It's done and over with now."

"You think those assholes that showed up here today were doin' shit like that too? You think they rape teenage girls?"

Buck and Merle shared a look but it was Buck that spoke. "Sex trade."

Daryl made a face. "What?"

"They run a club of their own. It's dirty but it's far away from here. I didn't know Dave had kin there. From what I learned, they're into some nasty shit. It's all about profit."

Merle nodded. "Don't make much sense why they would risk comin' here. They ain't a big club. Not like us."

"Do you think that's what would have-" Carol couldn't even finish the sentence.

"We don't know. I didn't ask," Buck said, shaking his head. "I couldn't figure out why the hell Dave was hangin' around here if he had a club of his own. I did some diggin' and from what I gather, he wasn't a member of that club either. He had kin on the inside but nobody would give him a chance. He thought if he could dig up a little dirt on us then they would give him a shot. He was just another Ed."

Merle spoke up then. "We've got eyes on that club. We'll know if they think about retaliation."

Daryl growled. "Well, if they show up again I'm gonna-" He glanced at Buck, Merle and then Carol. The looks they were all giving him gave him pause. "Then I guess I'm gonna watch somebody else take care of them cause I'm a responsible adult and can't get my goddamn hands dirty," he finished glumly.


	51. Chapter 51

**I'm dealing with internet issues so I wanted to get this out as fast as I could before it went out again! Thank you for reading!**

 **Chapter Fifty One**

Daryl watched her closely, gauging her mood and her frame of mind. They had made it to the house without any other catastrophes and now she was showing him everything they had done. It was hard for him to pay close attention to everything she was showing him though. He was too busy looking for a sign that she was having seconds thoughts. Second thoughts about him. Second thoughts about them. He was finding out quickly that caring about a woman was hard ass work. He could tell that her smile was forced and he could see the troubled look in her eyes. At times she seemed almost afraid. Of him? Of this life they were about to plow head first into? He wasn't sure.

"So, what do you think?" She asked, meeting his eyes expectantly. She was nearly bouncing with excitement over the house. That wasn't something that she had to force. She loved it, just like he knew he would love it.

He glanced around the room and nodded. "You didn't try to update it. You all just kinda restored it to what it was meant to look like."

She nodded. "I didn't understand why Buck was so happy about that. He said he was afraid I'd try and make it modern on the inside. I told him that if I tried something like that all he would have to do is tell me no. He really did let me do everything. I just thought of what I would want the most and then I did that here, hoping that whoever ended up living here would love it as much as I did."

Daryl let her pull him back upstairs. He wanted to know where her head was at. He wanted to know if she really was just going to sweep murder under the rug. Because regardless of the reasons Buck had done what he had done, it was still murder. And he had skirted around the question when she had asked him if he had ever killed anyone. He was waiting anxiously for that shoe to drop.

"Are you sure you're okay?" She asked, stopping outside of the bathroom door.

"Yeah. You're the one that just got the bombshell dropped on your head today. Are you okay?" He asked.

She met his eyes briefly and then looked away, down the hall. She had changed her clothes but it was still raining out and she had managed to get damp all over again. "I'm trying to understand. And I do understand what happened to Buck when they found those things. I can see a man, a good man, losing it over something like that. I think even I would lose it over something like that. But I know that this isn't first time something like this has happened. I know that Dave wasn't the first. And that's what I'm trying to wrap my head around."

He didn't say anything. He had been born into this. The way they lived, the hard decisions that needed to be made, that was all just a way of life. Family came first and the other members of the club were his brothers. There were times when things were smooth. Other times things happened and they found themselves in positions where they were forced to do things that other men wouldn't ever think of doing.

"I'm mostly worried about Sophia. She was raised in a house with violence. I don't want her to think that-"

"What we do, we do out there. That shit don't cross the threshold," he said firmly, his jaw clenching.

She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "Can you really stand there and tell me that it never happens? That the club hasn't done something to someone and it never leaked over into their home?"

He shook his head. "Things like that don't happen no more." He wanted to change the subject. He didn't want to think about that. Not here. Not right now and definitely not with her standing right in front of him.

She tilted her head, a frown in place. "But things like that have happened." It was a statement, not a question.

"My mama's dead. You ever wonder how the fuck that happened?" He snapped, not meaning too but unable to squash the anger that the subject ignited in him. It used to be worse than this. He used to not be able to think about this house. He used to not be able to gaze at a picture of the woman without losing his grip. That tenuous grip on all of that rage.

She made a small shocked sound and took a step away from him. "I didn't realize..."

He swallowed, his throat feeling thick. "Things like that just don't happen anymore, okay."

She nodded, sensing that he wanted to change the subject but unable to keep her next words to herself. "If it's too hard for you to be here, we can go somewhere else. Anywhere else. I don't want you living in a house that... hurts you every time you walk in the door. We can stay with Buck or-"

He shook his head, her voice somehow soothing his anger, taming it in a way that he couldn't do on his own. Never could have. "It ain't like that anymore," he said, stepping into her space.

She raised her eyes, looking at him from under her lashes. "Are you sure. It's just a house. You're more important than a house."

"I'm serious. I've always wanted to come back here." He shrugged, "Just never thought I could. But it ain't bad. She woulda wanted me here. It's home."

"If you're sure."

"Are you sure?" He countered.

She shook her head. "I'm scared to death. I'd be stupid not to be."

"Because of what happened with Buck and Dave?"

She shook her head, more adamantly this time. "Not just that. How much time have we spent together?"

He knew where she was going with this. "None, really. Other than... you know."

She nodded. "Yeah, I know. What if we find out that we don't even like each other? What if you end up realizing you've made a horrible call and you weren't ready for any of this? What if I get on your nerves or- What if another woman shows up and you find out that you're bored with this kind of life and you-"

He shook his head. "How many times do I gotta tell you? You're it. I even tried to get you out of my head. I can't. I can't go back to that, even if I wanted too."

She studied him, searching his eyes. "You don't feel like this is all just, I don't know... crazy?"

"Yeah. It's batshit. You know how slim the chances of all of this working out are?" He asked. Her face fell but he pushed on. "But it's gonna work out."

"How do you know?"

He shrugged and the corner of his mouth lifted in a lopsided smile. "Cause I want it to work out."

She scowled. "And you think that's enough?"

"I know it is. I always get what I want."

"You're obnoxious, Daryl Dixon. That isn't how things work."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes, that's ridiculous."

"How many other men had you cheated on Ed with?" He asked simply.

"None. You know that."

"But you didn't hesitate, not even a little, when I went for it, did you?"

She flushed and then swallowed hard. "Well, no. But that-"

"I got what I wanted."

"Do you honestly think that things are going to be easy for us because you want them to be?" She asked, disbelief heavy in her tone.

He shook his head. "No, but it sounded good."

She smiled and then sighed heavily. "We'll make this work."

"Yeah, we will."

They both looked up at the sound of heavy steps coming up the stairs. Sophia stopped when she saw them and Daryl couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Carol had lost her shit on the girl. He'd never heard her raise her voice before. Not out of anger and certainly not at Sophia. Daryl knew the kid was tough but Carol didn't see it. But today, hearing about Sophia's role in finding Dave, she had gotten scared and fear had spurred on a bone-a-fide mom fit like non Daryl had ever seen.

"Which room is mine?" She asked, looking at him instead of Carol.

He glanced at Carol but she was eying Sophia. "Hell if I know. Which one do you want?"

She looked up at the ceiling. "Can I have the third floor room? The top of the tower? That way I'll at least have a view of the outside world."

"Take it," he shrugged. He felt sorry for her. She was, as of this morning, grounded for the rest of the summer. Even Daryl had put up a fight for her but Carol wouldn't listen to either of them. She was scared for the girl but Sophia wasn't looking at it like that.

"Thanks, Daryl."

"Sophia," Carol called when the girl turned to head for the door leading up.

Sophia stopped, her bags in her hands, but she didn't turn around.

"Don't you think you'd be happier being closer? Maybe the bedroom at the end of the hall?" Carol asked cautiously.

Sophia just shook her head in response and continued on her way. Carol sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"She was just tryin' to help," Daryl muttered.

"It isn't just what she did with the whole Dave situation, Daryl. Fighting at school. Drinking. Lying all the time about where she's been and where she's going. I don't know what to do with her."

He wasn't sure what to say because she wasn't going to agree with any of the points that he made. He thought she was being too hard on the girl. Then again, he wasn't a dad. Not in the literal sense just yet anyway. He understood anyone with an aversion to authority however and since Sophia didn't really have anyone in her corner at the moment he felt compelled to at least put up a small fight for the kid. Merle had stood behind Carol but Sophia hadn't had anyone. "Maybe doin' nothin' is the best thing you could do."

Carol turned her head slowly and he knew this wasn't a good sign. "Like I did when she spent the night with a boy and skipped school the next day? I didn't do anything then. I have to do something. You can't say that what she did should go unpunished." She stared at him, her eyes wide.

He shrugged. "The kid didn't ask for any of this, Carol. She got shoved into a whole other world and all she's tryin' to do is tread water. She was stuck under Ed's thumb, playing peace maker, trying to protect you. She took shit from everybody. Maybe she's just sick and tired of takin' shit. She's what? She ain't to far away from being seventeen? You know how many times I had gotten locked up by the time I was her age? Five." He stated without waiting for her to guess a number. "She's gonna fuck up. Let her fuck up."

"I'm her mother. I'm not her friend," she said, her chin going up.

"Oh don't give me that shit. You know who says shit like that? People on a power trip. Once she's thirty years old do you think she's gonna look back on her childhood and remember all the times somebody told her what to do, how to think, how to act, what to wear, what to say? Fuck no she ain't. She's gonna remember the people that treated her like a fuckin' person. She'll remember the times she felt like her own opinions mattered. She ain't a toy. She ain't a robot. She ain't some sort of pet that needs training. She's got her own head on her shoulders and she ain't gotta be like you. Lock her in a box and your gonna be in for a whole world of rebellion."

She stared at him, her eyes wide. "I don't expect her to be like me. I expect her to use her brain. I expect her to think about her actions before she acts. I don't want her getting hurt."

He understood where she was coming from. He really did. But he thought that maybe she wasn't really looking at this situation from all angles. "Let me talk to her."

She motioned for the open door to the stairs. "By all means, have at it."

"That room she picked out is the only room that ain't finished. I'll run her into town to pick up some paint. Or is her being under lock down mean she can't leave the house with me?" He cocked an eyebrow, earning him an eye roll.

"Merle will be here any minute though."

He shrugged. "Then this is good timing. I think he feels all butthurt cause he ain't got you all to himself anymore."

She sighed. "Are you jealous of your brother?"

He laughed. "No. Actually, a little but that's all on me. I was gone. He was there. Stings a little bit. But you're important to him. I get that. I know my brother wouldn't try to stick his nose in my kool-aid. Or his dick in my woman."

She grimaced. "You're disgusting."

"You love it," he called over his shoulder as he walked towards the stairs.


	52. Chapter 52

**This chapter is pretty heavy. It explains some things, like exactly why Daryl is the way he is in this story. My internet seems to be back up and running so that's awesome. I was so afraid it was going to go out completely and I'd have to start updating slower. Anyway, thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Fifty Two**

Carol felt helpless as Sophia walked right past her, stopping at the head of the porch steps to wait on Daryl. He kissed her quickly and then the two of them were gone. She stood in the doorway, her arms crossed and a frown on her face. She wasn't sure if she was handling any of this right and his words only added to it. But acting like Sophia hadn't done anything wrong wasn't going to prove anything to the girl.

With a heavy sigh she shut the door and made her way to the kitchen. It was the only room in the whole house that had been updated. She was looking forward to cooking. Cooking at the apartment was more a chore than anything else. There had been no counter space and only two burners worked on the cook top. The oven only heated up to three hundred and fifty degrees and she had found mouse droppings under the sink on several different occasions.

This was different. She could lose herself in this kitchen. Forget some of her troubles and focus on mixing and measuring. It was why she loved her job so much. She was easily lost in the mundane. She decided that the first meal she cooked in this place had to be Sophia's favorite. She planned on sticking with her decision to ground the girl but that didn't mean that she didn't want their first night in this house to be special. Maybe it would thaw her out a little bit and get her to talking. Carol wasn't sure what to do about the silent treatment. She had never been on the receiving end of her daughter's cold shoulder before.

Home made lasagna was a time consuming meal and she was up for the challenge. Ed wasn't fond of it so it had been years since she had made it but Sophia loved it and from what she knew about Daryl's appetite, he would eat anything.

As she worked her mind drifted back to the conversation upstairs. She had never known the details of what had happened to Daryl and Merle's mother. She hadn't wanted to pry into that personal tragedy. It had happened a long time ago. Daryl had lost his mother because of the club and if she tried to tell herself that this fact didn't scare her to death, she would be a liar. It terrified her. She was sure that the reason that it scared her so much was because she didn't know the details. Maybe if she knew the exact reason it had happened she could assure herself that the men were more cautious now. But she couldn't ask Daryl. She had seen his face earlier and she never wanted to see that pain again. She couldn't ask Buck either because Buck had never gotten over the death of his wife and likely, if nearly twenty years hadn't dulled that pain, he would never get over it.

Was she in danger? And if she was in danger then that meant that Sophia and the baby were as well. Would Daryl bring her into a world where her life and possibly the life of her children could end in violence? Surely he wouldn't. If he thought she could get hurt then he never would have asked her to come here. She hadn't tried to force herself into his life. He had welcomed her into it. He had even nudged her more than a few times.

"You need to keep that door locked if your ass is gonna be here alone."

The unexpected voice had her gasping, turning sharply. She dropped the jars of garden tomatoes that June had given her. They crashed onto the tile at her feet, leaving a puddle that looked more macabre than it would have if she had turned on the overhead lights. She was working in the watery light that came in through the large windows. Her hand went to her chest when she finally realized that there wasn't some maniac there to kill her.

"Damn it, Merle," she breathed, willing her heart to slow to a normal pace. "Don't do that to me ever again."

He looked down at the mess and then back up to her eyes. "Jumpy?"

She laughed but there was a hysterical edge to it that even she could hear. "I suppose a little."

He wordlessly helped her clean up the mess and retrieved two more jars from the pantry. "Where's Daryl?" He asked once she calmly went back to prepping the meal.

"He took Sophia to get some paint for that third floor room. She isn't talking to me."

He snorted. "I know how that goes."

She looked up from the oregano she was chopping. "Really? I can't see Piper cold shouldering you."

He shrugged and sat down on one of the bar stools across from her. "Yeah, well, she's a spoiled brat and I'm the only damn one that ever has to set her straight. Daryl ain't never been much help cause he's usually getting in trouble with her or cleaning up her messes so I don't find out about them. Buck treats her like she's still five years old. The girl can do no wrong when it comes to that man. That leaves me to be the hard ass when she fucks up."

"Sophia's never acted out like this before," she said glumly.

"From what I hear she ain't been given much leeway to act any sort of way before. She's been stuck in a cycle. The cycle's broke and she's got her eyes open to a whole new world. You expect her to be the same after all this?"

She shook her head, keeping her eyes on the herbs. "You sound like Daryl."

He chuckled. "You might be wise to listen to him. As much as I hate to admit it, he knows what he's doin' most of the time. He knows more than he lets on, trust me. He understands the shit that goes on in their heads."

She finally raised her eyes. "Are you saying that he still has the mind of a teenager?"

"I'm sayin' that Daryl ain't as jaded as a lot of people are. I'll be the first to admit that in a lot of ways, the boy has some growing up to do. But then again, that's one of the best things about him. He understands things on a different level than most. He's smart. He's observant. And he remembers what it was like to be a confused kid so he knows how to treat them. You going ape shit on her isn't wrong. She needed to hear it and sure you needed to do something about the shit she pulled. But she ain't gonna respond to that. She's gonna respond to him because he's gonna handle it in a way that makes her feel like she isn't some kid that's fucked up."

"I don't see him getting anywhere with her. I understand what you're saying, though. I really do. But is this how it's going to be now? Am I going to be the bad guy? I've never been the bad guy before."

Merle nodded. "Welcome to hell, little sister."

She shook her head, repressing her smile for all of three seconds. They were silent for a long time but the silence wasn't strained. It was a comfort to have him here. And she realized, as he watched her work, that she could get answers if she really wanted them. She put the knife down and looked up. "If I ask you something will you promise to tell me the truth and not get all upset that I'm prying?"

He rolled his eyes. "Is this where you ask me if I think Daryl has it in him to be a good man and take this whole goddamn thing that the two of you jumped in seriously? Cause yeah, if that's what you're gonna ask I can answer it. He's crazy about you. He's gonna stumble cause he don't know what he's doin' but he loves you and he's gonna try his best. Is that what you wanted to know?"

"What happened to your mother?" She asked quickly.

He looked up sharply, his blue eyes boring into hers and his whole body tensing. She looked back down, unable to hold the gaze. She shouldn't have asked him that. "I'm sorry. I just-"

He let out a breath and shook his head, not giving her a chance to finish apologizing. "You deserve to know."

She swallowed hard, preparing herself for the story. Reminding herself that Daryl wouldn't have brought her here if it wasn't safe.

"Buck wasn't always as careful as he is now," he said, his voice low. He traced the pattern of the granite island top with one finger. "He don't do business here no more but back then the club was where he handled everything. Anything illegal that came through this town came through Buck. He was young. He was cocky. He's a big mother fucker and sometimes it was like he felt invincible. Hell, he was invincible. People were scared of him. People in the business respected him." His eyes took on a faraway look and he paused, like he didn't make a habit of dredging these memories up.

"I was just getting into the trade, you know? I was sixteen, I was chomping at the bit to sink my teeth into the life. I was born for it. I spent most of my time with Buck but Daryl was the baby. He was nine years old when it happened."

"When what happened?" Carol pressed, knowing that remembering was painful for him but also knowing that she needed to know.

"When Buck fucked up," Merle said, shaking his head slowly like he still couldn't believe that it happened, even eighteen years later. "He found out that there was another MC pushing some heavy shit through our territory. It was ballsy. People didn't step on Buck's toes. Never before that. Never since. But this club was fresh. They had a point to prove and what better way to prove how goddamn tough they were by going up against the biggest and the baddest mother fucker in the state? When Buck found out he lost his shit. He got some guys together and I'll be damned if the crazy bastard didn't walk right into the middle of that clubhouse by himself. Made his guys hang back while he went in there to handle it. But their guy didn't feel like talking. He shot Buck twice."

"Oh my God," Carol gasped, like it had just happened.

"I'm not sure exactly what happened after that. When the guys heard shots they rushed the place, guns blazing. We lost three men that night. Three men that were like brothers to Buck. Odin was there and from what I hear he went berserk. Anybody in his way that wasn't one of our guys was either shot or beaten to death. It was like a massacre. But they drew first blood. By the time they hauled ass outta that place, they didn't think there was anybody left breathing."

Carol was so caught up in the story that the timer on the oven caused her to scream and nearly jump out of her skin. She turned it off and took out the bread, returning to her spot and the story. Letting his voice take her back to another time. To another world.

"Anyway, that wasn't the case. Not all of them were dead and these fuckers were young. They'd take in any asshole off the street that wanted to join so their numbers went up quick. They regrouped. And then they started plotting ways to get back at Buck. He'd taken everything from them. They were a fuckin' joke and in our world, that's the last thing you want to be.

"So they came after Buck one night but Buck wasn't at the club. Hell, Buck wasn't even in the country, and I was with him. I was always with him. I don't know if they even checked the clubhouse. I just know that some of them ended up here that night."

"Merle, you don't have to-"

"Randy and his brother were here to look after my mom and Daryl. They were just a couple of prospects back then. They weren't enough protection though. Buck never expected those men to retaliate. He thought they learned their lesson. He wasn't one to fuck over. That wasn't the case, though."

"Merle-"

"Anyway, they busted in. There were ten of them. All armed. All ready to pay retribution. Randy and Mike, they did what they could. Randy was able to take out three on his own. Mike was killed right away but they played with Randy a while. Cut him up. Took his eye. They thought he was dead. We don't know exactly what happened to our mom but she put up a hell of a fight for a little thing. They forced Daryl to watch them do whatever they did. That's probably why she fought so fuckin' hard. But in the end what's one woman against that many men, you know?"

Carol's throat was so tight that she could barely take in a breath. She didn't realize she was crying until he reached across the island and did what Merle did all the time, wiping tears away.

"By the time we got back Daryl wasn't Daryl no more. He was somethin' else. The goddamn rage in that boy was unlike anything I ever saw. He was just gone. Lost in this fuckin' world I don't even wanna imagine. Lashin' out at everything and everyone. He used it like a cloak. I took a different rout. I lost myself in drugs. Buck lost himself in grief. Other charters stepped in after that, tried to keep Buck from losin' the club and his mind."

"What happened to those men?" She asked, afraid of the sound of her own voice. It didn't sound like hers anymore.

"It took a while but Buck hunted them all down. And he got his hands pretty dirty."

"What did he do?" She needed to know that they paid for what they had done. In her minds eye all she could see was a little nine year old boy that had his whole world torn apart in one violent night. And she hoped, hoped with every fiber of her being that those men suffered. The baby kicked, Merle finally raised his eyes.

"He tore'em apart."

She blinked.

"He hunted them down. Him, Randy and Odin. And he broke them in ways that you don't even want to imagine. He took his time doing it. He killed every one of them that were there except for one. He was the ring leader. The big man that called the shots. The one that ordered the hit and lead the other ones here."

"And what happened to that one?"

Merle met her eyes and shook his head. "Buck wasn't Buck back then. You remember that before I answer your question, you understand? You keep in mind that what those men did to her, they did it in front of her boy. My brother."

"What happened?"

"He took the boy with him," Merle said, his voice barely above a whisper. "He was eleven by then."

"Daryl watched him kill the man?" Carol asked, her heart breaking for him.

Merle shook his head. "Buck let Daryl kill the man himself."

Carol's heart stopped. Even the baby stilled, like it sensed the air of despair inside her. Merle didn't meet her eyes.

"Buck regrets it. It wasn't right and he knows it. But after that... it was like Daryl was back. As fucked up as it sounds, he needed to be the one to do it. He was just a kid but there was just too much inside him. Once that was done, even though he wasn't who he had been, some of that rage was gone. Buck never really snapped out of it. Ended up in prison for a while. When he got out I had Piper already and that's when he finally came around. As bad as she is, she saved Buck's life."

Carol couldn't even breath for a moment as she stood there, not saying a word.

Merle stood up, like he couldn't just sit and talk about it anymore and she didn't blame him. "Anyway, things like that don't happen anymore. You're safe. Sophia's safe."

She nodded, unable to speak for the moment.


	53. Chapter 53

**And we've made it to Friday!**

 **I just wanted to remind you all that I am a Caryl shipper. I ship Caryl. I don't favor Daryl. I don't favor Carol. I won't write a story that puts either of them on any sort of pedestal. I've noticed in this fandom that there is a divide. It's your Carol fans vs Daryl fans and sometimes people get upset when things don't go the way they want for the character of their choice. But I don't write that way. I love both characters equally, which is why I ship them. I just want to write a story and hope that people enjoy it. If you like stories where one or the other is treated better, I'm not the writer for you. Mistakes are going to be made by both parties. Things wont always be roses for either. Life isn't like that. My stories aren't either. Regardless of this, I hope that you all understand that I would never pick favorites or intentionally be mean or unfair to one of them. I think if you love the ship, you need to love both characters in it.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and, as always, thank you all for reading.**

 **Chapter Fifty Three**

Daryl kept shooting the girl sideways glances but she just kept looking out the window, staring dejectedly at the rain washed scenery. If it was Piper or Damon he'd know how to handle it but he hardly knew Sophia at all. He needed to remedy that though and there was no time like the present.

"You know, she's scared to death. That's the only reason she's giving you so much shit," he said, trying to break the ice.

She glanced at him, a small smile on her face. "I know."

He frowned but he should have expected this from her. "You ain't gotta do that."

She stared straight ahead. "Do what?" She asked stiffly.

"Act like you ain't pissed off."

She glanced at him. "You're on her side. All you're going to do is lecture me about how stupid I was for doing what I did. I already heard it from her. I'm not trying to be disrespectful," she added hastily.

He barked out a laugh, slowed for a stop light and then looked at her. "Okay. Knowin' the outcome, if you had it to do over again, would you?"

She looked at him, her eyes studying him.

"Don't try to figure out what I want to hear, kid. Tell me what's in your head."

"Yes I would. I know that she thinks it was really reckless but it got you out of jail and Damon was watching the whole time. So yes. Knowing what I know now, I would still do it because it needed to be done. She needed you."

He nodded. "I agree."

From the corner of his eye he saw her mouth drop open slightly. "What? You can't say that you support me doing that."

"Kid, if you hadn't done what you did then my ass could very well be locked down for a long time. I wouldn't be around for my own kid. You think I don't appreciate what you did? You're a fuckin' trip, Sophia. I love your mom. Everybody knows that, but I don't have to agree with everything she says. She's had sixteen years to go into full blown mom mode. I've had a few months just get to know you, and most of those months were spent behind bars."

"So you aren't mad?"

He shook his head. "You gotta cut her some slack though, man. She don't know how to handle any of this shit. Just like you don't. You're both tryin' to fit yourselves into these new roles. You're both trying to learn how to deal with freedom. You've been locked up your whole life, she's been locked up half of hers. You're both trying to cope. This won't be the only bump in the road. But the only thing that she's thinking about is what if something happened to you. It scared the hell outta her, you know? And now she thinks that the two of you are driftin'. Plus she's all knocked up, by a total fuckin' immature temperamental asshole that she barely knows, so that's gotta make things even worse."

"I know where she's coming from. I just wish she'd try to understand that I had to do something. And you aren't an asshole," she added, glancing at him.

He grinned and pulled down Buck's driveway.

"I'm not suppose to be here. Damon and Piper are off limits, remember?"

He shook his head. "You three got your own shit to sort out, remember? I'm not stupid. So let's go so you can talk to them," he said as he jumped out of the truck and hurried to the porch. She was hot on his heels.

"Are you serious?" She asked once they were on the porch.

He snorted. "No. You're grounded so get back in the car. I just brought you all the way here to fuck with you. I'll be back inn a minute."

She frowned but then actually turned around, about to head down the steps.

"Jesus, I'm fuckin' with you, kid." He grabbed the back of her shirt and tugged her back towards the door with a shake of his head.

"Oh. Well, are you going to lie to her about this? Because you really shouldn't. You know, even little lies can really mess up a relationship. Not that I'm an expert or anything."

"Actually, you're probably better at this than I am. I've been locked up for damn near the whole time I've been with your mom. I'm wingin' it. And no, I ain't lying about it. I'm gonna tell her what I did and why I did it and then you're gonna stop givin' her the silent treatment and take whatever punishment she doles out like a trooper. Ask yourself how the hell you would feel if she did somethin' as monumentally stupid as you did."

"Like letting herself get pregnant by an immature temperamental asshole that she barely knows?" She smiled.

He raised a brow. "Touche, kid. Touche."

They let themselves in, knowing that they'd likely find everyone in the kitchen. Sophia glanced in and then headed down the hall towards Piper's room. June was the only one in the kitchen. She looked up from her coffee, her eyes troubled.

"Did she already kick you out? Daryl, it's only been a few hours."

He scoffed as he walked past. "Nah, brought Sophia back here to talk to Damon and Piper."

June sighed, leaning back in her chair. "Good. He's been moping around like an oversized puppy since you all left. Reminded me of you for that, what, whole day that you tried to avoid Carol?" She smiled.

"Shut up," he muttered, slinking down in his seat. This earned him a slap in the back of the head. He looked up over his shoulder, seeing Buck's disapproving face.

"Boy, mind your manners." He admonished. "And you're already fuckin' up, you know. Bringin' her here when you know what her mama said."

"Her mama will be fine. I'll tell her about it when I get back. Ain't like I'm lyin' to her. Sophia needed to work things out with those two. It didn't seem right. And what she did wasn't as bad as Carol thinks. Damon was with her. She was safe."

Buck and June stared at him. "You're oversteppin', boy."

Daryl shook his head and reached for a cookie that was sitting on a plate in the middle of the table. "No I ain't. Why the hell is it so hard for everybody to look at this whole thing through Sophia's eyes. She did what she did because she wanted to help her mom. She fucked up, sure, but her heart was in the right place. She's grounded. After this, she can stay grounded, but I think she has earned the right to clear the air with Piper and Damon."

"Will her mama feel the same?" Buck asked, sitting next to him. "Sophia isn't Piper. You can't just go behind everyone's back and handle things your own way."

"Goddamn," he muttered, "How bout you all just let me handle my own shit for once. She ain't a bad kid. She fucked up, sure but I'm out because of what she did. I owe her."

"You know, you're gonna have to step up boy. You asked for this. Hell, you didn't even ask for it, you just reached out and took it. You gotta hell of a lot on your plate. You're the only man that girl has to look up to. You think going behind her mom's back and letting her get her way is settin' any kind of example for her."

Daryl groaned. "Lay the fuck off, Buck. It ain't like I'm takin' her to a damn party. She needs to talk this shit out. How bout you just let me do what I need to do and stop actin' like I'm twelve."

Buck and June shared a look and Daryl decided enough was enough. He stood up, flipping his dad off as he walked out of the room. He was thinking about checking his drawer for the stash of weed he usually kept there and then remembered that being on probation could possibly have him taking random piss tests. This grown up shit kind of sucked.

~H~

Sophia wasn't even sure what to say to them. They both sat on the edge of Piper's bed. Piper was picking at a hang nail and Damon was looking at Sophia.

"Well, let us have it," he finally said, standing up and shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Did you know that Dave was going to get killed?" She asked bluntly.

He nodded. "I knew it was a possibility. And after hearing what they found in that mother fucker's house I'm only sorry I wasn't there to do it my damn self. Don't expect an apology, Sophia. He deserved every fucking thing he got."

She felt her temper flare. "You could have told me."

"I could have but I didn't want to. Neither one of us did."

"Why?" She snapped.

Piper and Damon shared a look. "Because you aren't the type that could hear something like that and be okay with it," Damon said, losing steam. Now he just looked worried.

"Yeah, well. I think I could have proved you wrong. But I'm not the type to waste my time on assholes that think it's okay to lie to their friends. I thought we... Never mind. I should have listened to Sara. I'm not one of you. I'm not a part of this and I don't even know how to be. I'm glad that my mom got Daryl out of the deal but other than that, I really think I messed up trying to play tag along. You two lying to me, you pretty much confirmed it."

Piper stood up as Sophia turned towards the door. "Dude, just hold on a second. You don't understand."

Sophia turned, eyes flashing. "Fuck you, Piper. Maybe I expected it from him but not you. You've always been up front with me. I guess you always will be so long as it suits you, right?"

Piper's jaw clenched and she shook her head. "That ain't fair."

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" Damon snapped, taking a step towards her.

"You figure it out. This isn't working. Any of it. I'm not like you two. I'm not a part of your little circle. My mom's not a member of the club. I'll save you both the effort of covering your tracks and just stay the hell away from both of you."

"You're a member of this family too, Sophia," Piper growled. "And you don't walk out on family."

"Yeah, well, you don't lie and keep secrets from family either so I guess it was the two of you that broke the code first. That means I get to walk."

They both stared at her as she stormed out, slamming the door on her way. Daryl was in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, obviously getting an ear full from Buck and June. She didn't even glance at them. She grabbed his hand and kept walking. "Let's go."

"Bout fuckin' time," he grumbled.

"Yeah, no shit," she muttered, more to herself than to him. The car ride to the hardware store was silent and tense. He seemed to be deep in thought and she really didn't feel like trying to cheer him up because she had a lot on her mind herself.

Once they made it inside she followed him straight to the paint swatches. "What'cha thinkin'?" He asked, his eyes scanning the samples. He grabbed a light pink color and she couldn't help but smile. He raised a brow and she shook her head.

"Thank God," he muttered, putting it back.

"Black."

He glanced at her. "Black?"

She nodded. She was definitely in a mood for black. She expected him to shake his head and tell her that was too much. Instead he nodded.

"Fuck yeah, that's what I'm talkin' about."

She grinned at him, feeling a little better, even though she kind of felt like she left half her heart back in Piper's bedroom. "Seriously?"

He nodded with a grin. "I thought this was gonna suck. Wasn't sure if I was gonna have to pick through a bunch of flowery shit the whole time. This though, this is right up my alley."

"Mom's not gonna like it."

"I'll work her over."

"Gross."

He grinned and pulled her towards the paint mixer. "Let's keep lookin'. Buck pissed me off so I swiped his credit card."

She laughed. "He's going to kill you. And you're being a really bad influence right now. What would you do if I stole my mom's credit card?" She lifted a brow, unable to believe that this man was suppose to be like a father figure to her now.

"You wouldn't. And if you did then I guess we'd both get our asses chewed out and then you'd feel bad cause I'm such a great guy and all."

She felt bad about using Buck's card for all of five minutes until he showed her an isle that had a bunch of stick on wall decals. She started going through them carefully while he waited. "Are you really gonna charge all this to Buck's credit card?"

He nodded. "I am. But he gave it to me. I didn't really steal it. I was testing you."

Her eyes got wide. "Testing me? I knew I shouldn't have agreed to this." Now he was going to think she was a thief.

"No worries, kid. You passed." He bumped her shoulder with his own and then held up a large red wall decal of a devil face. "You really wanna get under her skin, you're gonna need this."

She laughed. "I thought you said I should take it easy on her?"

He shrugged. "There's always those purple and yellow butterflies you were staring at. Those would look good on black too."

She snatched the devil out of his hands. "Okay. Let's get out of here. I think I owe my mom an apology. I hope she hasn't been too upset because of the way I've acted today."

He threw an arm over her shoulder and shook his head, a small smile on his face. "That's my girl."

She felt herself smile. Maybe he wasn't perfect and maybe he had a ways to go before he really got this parenting thing down, but she was starting to feel like there was a real chance that Daryl Dixon was going to prove to the world that he could be a really great father. She felt better after spending this time with him. She felt like he understood her. For the first time in her life, as strange at it sounded, she felt like maybe even she would get a real chance at having a real dad.


	54. Chapter 54

**I didn't realize how short this chapter was. Sorry about that! Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Fifty Four**

Merle didn't say anything else about what had happened all those years ago. She didn't need to know anymore. She understood things so much better now. She understood _him_ now. She had never imagined that Daryl had lived through so much emotional turmoil. She never understood what everyone meant when they talked about him like he was some kind of ticking time bomb, ready to go off at the drop of a dime. She had seen it in him earlier when he had mentioned his mother. She hated herself for dredging up those old memories. She wasn't afraid that he would ever do anything violent to her or Sophia. Maybe that was naive of her but she knew in her heart that he would never hurt them.

She felt like she needed more people around. She wanted this place to be a new start for all of them. Maybe she could create something here that could smooth over those old jagged scars. She hoped so.

"I should call and ask if everyone else wants to come for dinner," Carol muttered, layering the lasagna. This is going to be way too much. There's still the bread and the salad. The four of us will never eat all this."

Merle stepped behind her, glancing over her shoulder and sticking his finger in the pan, licking the sauce off and then smacking his lips loudly in her ear. She shot an elbow into his ribs but he reached around her and stuck the same finger into the pan, swiping up more sauce.

"Merle, that's so gross. Your brother has to eat that too, keep your filthy fingers out of it," she growled, trying to block his much larger frame. That didn't seem to work either because he just reached around and did it again.

"Just one more lick and then I'll leave it alone. Quit squirmin' damn it. You're makin' me get it all over you."

"What the fuck?"

They both looked up sharply as Daryl came strolling into the room. She realized then that everything her and Merle had just said could easily be taken out of context. "He won't keep his finger out of my sauce," she explained.

Daryl raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, I don't guess I blame him. Merle, if she ain't talkin' about whatever is in that goddamn pan, I'm gonna break your dick off and shove it up your ass."

Merle snorted and finally moved away from her. "You'd be lucky if you could get both hands around it you little bastard."

Daryl just rolled his eyes at his brother. Carol wasn't sure if she would ever get used to how they spoke to one another sometimes. "I need to tell you somethin'," he said to her.

She met his eyes and then she felt her chest swell with sadness for him. Everything Merle had told her came back to the surface after it took her so long to push it all away.

"That's my cue. I'm gonna go get stoned on your front porch. Found your stash and didn't figure you'd be needing it, probation boy." Merle sauntered off and Daryl wanted to kick him in the balls.

"You smoke pot?" She asked, her eyes widening.

He shrugged. "Everybody smokes pot, woman. It's good for you."

"I've never smoked it. You never told me you did drugs."

"It ain't a drug. It's a fuckin' plant that the Government outlawed so they could fill the prison system up with minor drug offenders and suck as much money out of us as they can. It was listed in medical books until the forties. Anyway, I took Sophia to Buck's so she could talk to Damon and Piper. Then I think I turned her into a devil worshiper at the hardware store, but she's not pissed off at you or anything so that's good news."

Carol blinked, trying to keep up. "Daryl, she's grounded. That means that she wasn't suppose to go to Buck's! And what do you mean, you turned her into a devil worshiper? You were only gone for a few hours. Jesus!" She could see it in his eyes that he was really struggling.

He shrugged. "Hell, all a person needs is a few hours. I only knew you for twenty four hours before I got you pregnant. Turnin' a kid to the dark side is even easier than that. Well, maybe. You were pretty easy."

"Daryl! Are you high?" She felt her face flush.

He shook his head and sat down on the stool that Merle had abandoned. "No. That's probably what my problem is. Seriously though, she needed to say her peace to those two. I didn't take her to a party or to have any fun, alright?"

She wanted to be mad at him but she really did understand where he was coming from. And Merle had told her that if anyone could get through to Sophia, it would be Daryl. She should consider herself thankful that he was the type of man that would bother with her teenage daughter that he barely knew. Not many would. "I know that you think I'm being hard on her. I just think she needs some kind of punishment for doing something so damn dangerous. And I know you don't think it was very dangerous but I do," she added hastily before he could say anything.

He nodded, running a hand through his hair as he sighed heavily. "I know. But I don't wanna be that guy. The prick that acts like the other kid ain't even there just cause she ain't his, ya know. I gotta know where the hell I stand when it comes to her. I made a call on my own cause you weren't giving me anything to go on."

She felt her stupid self get choked up again. She was tired of feeling so emotional but she really was touched. "I didn't know you felt that way. I just thought that she'd be my responsibility like she's always been."

He shook his head. "The first fuckin' thing I knew about you at all was that you had a kid. Well, that and I really wanted to get my hands on your ass cause you were bent over that car-"

"Daryl," she groaned.

"Right. Anyway, so yeah. That's how it is. You can shut me out if you don't want me butting in, but I don't want to be shut out. I figured I'd just lay it out there for you."

"You are really something else, you know that?"

He nodded. "So I've heard."

"I'm thinking about calling Buck and inviting them all over for dinner. I made way to much."

He stood up and was about to walk out of the kitchen and then stopped. "While you're at it, tell him that I swiped his Master card cause he was being a dick and he can have it back after I get to tell him I told you so."

"You stole your father's credit card?" Carol asked, her mouth dropping open.

"Yeah, but I lied and told Sophia he let me use it so she's in the clear."

"You and Sophia used it for what?"

"She needed paint and shit."

"Why didn't you use your own money? Or mine!"

"I just told you. He was being a dick. And he was being a dick for no reason. Trust me, this isn't the first time. He won't care too much."

She watched him walk out of the room, trying to wrap her mind around the enigma that was Daryl Dixon. He had just sat there and told her that he wanted to take an active role in her daughter's life. He wanted to be there for her and he wanted to be able to be involved the way a father would be involved. That made him more a man than most. It took a special person that was willing to do that. And then in the same breath he tells her that he stole his father's credit card! She shook her head. She wondered if she would ever understand him.

She called Buck and while she was on the phone with him, explaining to him exactly why Daryl had taken his credit card, Sophia walked into the room. After confirming that they would have a house full for dinner she hung up and watched the girl carefully.

"It smells great, mom. Everyone is gonna love it. Did you make the homemade sauce?"

Carol felt her eyes widen at her change of attitude. "Yes. I used the tomatoes that June canned herself."

"I'm sorry," Sophia said suddenly.

Carol stared at her but Sophia pressed on before she could say anything else.

"I know you've been through a lot. I'm gonna try to remember that it can't always be about what I think is right. I have to think about you too. And I know I shouldn't have talked to Piper and Damon but I needed to. I've been expecting you to try to see things from my perspective and I didn't even think to try to see things from yours. I scared you because I did something dangerous and I know that. I'm still glad Daryl is out but next time, I really will try to think about your feelings before I do something stupid. I'm not gonna say I won't do anything stupid anymore though because I'm sixteen and sixteen year olds make mistakes."

Carol nodded. "I can't believe it," she muttered.

Sophia frowned. "You can't believe what? That I'm sorry? Mom, really I-"

She shook her head. "No. I can't believe that Merle was right."

Before Sophia could say anything Merle walked in. "Right about what?" He asked.

"Your brother," she said, breezing past him.


	55. Chapter 55

**Sorry I didn't post yesterday! My internet was out. I felt bad because I left you all with a super short chapter and then skipped a day. But here's an update, a little longer than last. My internet seems to be fine now and we aren't expecting any storms until Thursday so I should be good to go. Thanks for reading! =)**

 **Chapter Fifty Five**

The closet was smaller than he remembered. Eighteen years ago when he had hidden in it, it had seemed almost cavernous. Now it was just a regular closet. All he had been planning on doing was changing into clothes that weren't wet. He had been so sure that he was going to be okay with this. God knew he wanted to be okay with it. He had been in the house a thousand times at least since leaving it when he had been a boy. It was just a house. Nothing but a house. Wood. Plaster. Brick. Mortar. Secrets. Pain. Screams. Blood.

He didn't realize that he was gripping the door until he heard a soft sound behind him. He slammed it shut with a crash, turning, eyes seeking out the threat he knew was there. But there was no threat. There was only Carol. She was regarding him with wide eyes that almost looked frightened. He realized then that he was breathing too hard. They stared at each other for a few long moments before he finally cleared his throat. "Hey. I was just grabbin' somethin' dry."

She nodded, searching his eyes. He looked away, not wanting her to see what might be there. "Are you okay?" She asked, her voice soft and somehow soothing.

He nodded, opened the closet door again, reached in without looking and pulled out a shirt. What the hell was wrong with him? Why was this happening to him now? Buck and Merle had been worried about this. They hadn't said as much but he knew they were. And here he was, finding it hard to catch his breath. He felt panicked. He felt like he was nine years old all over again, trying to hide. Trying to hide instead of fight.

She was suddenly right there in front of him, her hands gripping the sides of his face and forcing him to look at her. For one horrifying moment her eyes were brown. Accusing. He blinked and they were gone. Replaced by the familiar light blue. He didn't know what she may have seen in his face but she pulled him closer, her arms going around his neck, holding on tightly. He hesitated at first, resting his hands on her hips but slowly they wound around her, his forehead dropping to her shoulder. He didn't realize until that moment that he was shaking. Not just his hands. His whole being seemed to tremble slightly. He had no idea what was happening to him but he wanted the feeling, the helpless fucking feeling that he loathed, to go away.

He forced himself to focus on breathing in and out, closing his eyes and tightening his hold on her. He was sure that she didn't know specifics but he could tell by how tightly she held on to him that she knew that something wasn't right. He breathed deep, the scent of her warm clean skin calming him. When she finally loosened her hold on him he did the same, his hands gripping her waist as he slid his thumbs along the slight bump. He felt vulnerable. Something he hadn't felt in a long time but it wasn't all that bad. It wasn't bad because it was her there to witness it and that somehow was okay with him.

He dredged up other memories. The way the house smelled during the holidays when he had been a boy. Waking up Christmas morning and throwing himself down the stairs because he knew the house would be filled with family and he would have a ton of gifts waiting for him. He thought about all the times his mom had told him that some day, if him and Merle played their cars just right, she'd have the house filled with grandkids. He'd always make a face and shake his head and tell her that other than her and June girls were weird and he wanted nothing to do with them. This thought, at least, had a bittersweet feeling replacing the awful one. He wanted to make this place the home that his mom had made for him. He couldn't let that one night ruin this. It had already ruined enough.

She leaned up, kissing his jaw lightly before pulling back. "We're gonna be okay."

He didn't trust his voice anymore so he just nodded.

"And thank you. For whatever you said to Sophia."

He kept moving his thumbs over her stomach, back and forth, and his mind left that dark place, opting instead to think about if in six short months he would have a son or a daughter. And would it look more like her or him? Would it have her compassion and calm or would it have a wild streak as long as his? Would it be kind and quiet like Sophia or blunt and outspoken like Piper? Who the hell was in there? And then the terrifying question that had plagued him since finding out. Would he be able to protect it? Would he be able to be the man that this kid could look up to? Or would he somehow let them all down?

"We should get back down there. I left Merle to watch the food. You know what he thinks we're up here doing," she said after a few more silent moments.

Before she could pull away he grabbed the sides of her face and pulled her forward. He barely brushed his lips over hers. "You really think we're gonna be alright?" he whispered.

She moved her face back just enough so she could meet his eyes. There was a fire in hers that he hadn't seen before. "Yes. Without a shadow of a doubt in my mind. We're going to be just fine. We'll be fine because you want it to be fine, I want it to be fine and we're both going to bust our asses to make this work. And anyone that thinks otherwise can go straight to hell." The conviction in her voice stilled the rest of the emotions raging inside of him. A calmness took the place of the chaos and he found himself having another one of those moments like they had shared in her room. Exhilarating and terrifying all at once. She blinked in surprise, searching his eyes. "What is that?" She whispered.

"What?" He asked, knowing that she couldn't be feeling the same thing he did.

She smiled, looking dazed and shook her head. "Nothing. Lets go before Merle burns the house down." She gripped his hand and pulled him towards the door.

He stopped suddenly, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her back against him, kissing her neck soundly, feeling more himself now.

"What was that for?" She asked, glancing over her shoulder with a grin when he finally let her go.

He shook his head. "Nothin'. Let's get this over with."

"You aren't looking forward to a big meal with your family?"

"I'm always lookin' forward to bein' with my family. But I'm ready to get started on our own routine, without a goddamn house full all the time."

She laughed and grabbed his hand. "You're already nesting."

He snorted. "The fuck you talkin' about, woman? I look like a bird to you?"

She shook her head, flashing him an indulgent smile. "One more thing before we get back down there."

"What's that?" He asked, eying her suspiciously.

"I know that you might worry. You might wonder if you have what it takes to be a good father. I think it's important for you to know that within the last few hours today, you've proven to be a better father to Sophia than her own ever could imagine being. You're full of so many great things and fatherhood, that's just going to be one more thing that you excel at. Just in case you were doubting, I wanted you to know that I'm not. I already know how it's going to be.

He stared at her, trying to think of something to say to her but he couldn't voice any of his thoughts at the moment. He felt better. Much better than he had just ten minutes ago. He was going to be able to do this. He could live in this house and he could raise a family here. He wouldn't do the same things Buck had done. He wouldn't make the same mistakes Buck had made. They would be okay because the two of them were going to make it okay.

~H~

Sophia chose to sit between Daryl and Randy since they were the one's furthest away from Piper and Damon. June and Carol talked quietly. Everyone seemed to be having their own conversations but she was sitting there miserable and awkward. It didn't make her feel any better that Damon and Piper looked just as miserable and awkward as they picked at their meal.

Daryl glanced down at her and frowned. He looked down the table at the two other depressed looking teens and then back to her. To her surprise he stood up, grabbed her hand and pulled her out of her chair while everyone else just watched. Sophia thought she was going to die as everyone looked at her. Daryl pointed at Damon. "You. Now."

Damon got up quickly and followed them out of the room.

"Daryl, what are you doing?" She hissed.

He didn't say anything. Instead he led her out to the porch before he dropped her hand. Damon shut the door behind him and tried to meet her eyes but she looked away.

"Fix it," Daryl demanded.

Sophia clenched her teeth. What in the hell was he doing? "There isn't anything to fix," she snapped. She tried to walk past him so she could go back inside but he gripped her shoulders gently, turned her around and gave her a small shove towards Damon. "Fix it or sleep in the rain."

She stared at him. "You can't be serious."

His eyes went to Damon and he pointed at him. "I don't know what you've gone and done but if you hurt her again, ever, it's your ass, boy."

Damon nodded, nothing but respect in his eyes for the older Dixon. Daryl gave him a stiff nod of his own. "When you're done, send Damon back in and I'll send Piper out here. We can't be having any bad blood in this family. Not for any reason." With that he turned around and went back inside, shutting the door soundly behind him.

"Will you listen to me now?" Damon asked, sounding closer than he had been just a few seconds ago.

She looked at the door and then glanced over her shoulder at the rain that was still coming down before her eyes finally landed on him. She didn't want to talk to him. The only thing he did was confuse the hell out of her. She should have listened to herself when she first met him and her first impression had been that he was trouble. "I've been listening to you for three months. It's gotten me nowhere," she said.

He blew out a frustrated breath and pushed his long hair out of his face. "Don't you remember me trying to talk you out of all of it? I tried to talk you out of coming with us that day and I definitely didn't want you talking to that son of a bitch. But you wouldn't fuckin listen. You never listen. And now you're makin' me out to be the bad guy when the only goddamn thing I've tried to do since meeting you is keep you away from anything that could fucking hurt you. If you want this to be over then that's your choice but don't you stand there and act like you _expected_ me to fuck things up. I've never tried so goddamn hard at anything in my life as much as I've tried to make sure you're okay."

"You lied to me."

"I didn't tell you everything. Okay. What the fuck was I suppose to say? Why the fuck do you think I just wanted you to stay out of it? You know what I think?" He was glaring at her now, his dark eyes flashing. "I think this is an excuse. You want out because you're scared."

She shook her head. "That's not true."

"Bullshit. That's bullshit and you know it's bullshit, Sophia. Whatever this is, it's fucking intense and it's real and if you think it don't scare the fuck out of me too then you're crazy. We're goddamn teenagers. Things ain't suppose to be so... heavy."

She shook her head but she couldn't force any words out of her mouth.

"Then why the hell would you just blow me off after making up some fucking offense? Because you know that I'm right. I tried to keep you away. Why the hell would you break up with me over a situation you put your damn self in?"

She chewed her lip, wishing that Daryl hadn't done this to her.

"It's because of what happened the other night isn't it?" He asked, giving her a knowing look.

She felt her face flame as memories of that night came charging to the surface of her thoughts. "Nothing happened."

He scoffed and shook his head. "Bullshit. Everything happened except _that_. And the only reason _that_ didn't happen was because neither one of us had anything and neither one of us wanted to end up in the same situation as Daryl and your mom. That was the only reason it didn't happen."

She shook her head and swallowed hard.

"You're scared and you're making up excuses."

She shook her head again. "I'm not scared and I'm not making up excuses." It was a lie and she knew it. She knew it now anyway. She hadn't wanted to admit it to herself and she didn't want to admit it to him, but it was the truth.

"Then what is it? Cause your excuse is flimsy as fuck. This don't have a damn thing to do with Dave. What the hell did I do wrong? Was I out of line? Is that it, because I didn't know it at the time if I was. Just tell me so I can stop wondering."

"Nothing. You didn't do anything wrong." No, he had done everything right. She felt more heat rushing to her face.

He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the banister. "Then what is it?" He asked again, his voice softer now. "You do know that that ain't a big deal, right? It ain't like I expect more or anything."

She met his eyes and saw nothing but sincerity. "I just..." She wasn't sure what to say. She felt stupid voicing her fears out loud but knowing she needed to say something. "From now on, do you swear that you won't try to keep things from me? Maybe what you did wasn't as bad as I made it seem but what if... you know. _That_ had happened? I don't want to lose my virginity to some asshole that lies to me and keeps secrets. That's kind of a big deal. Maybe not to you but it is to me."

He nodded, relief clear on his face. "I won't. I swear."

She wasn't sure if this meant she was giving in too easily but she really didn't want to fight with him. She definitely didn't want to break up with him. During everything that had happened over the last several months he had been the one constant thing. The one person that she could count on no matter what and he had been that person for her since the first day she had spoken to him. Throughout the nightmare with Ed. Daryl going to jail. Her mother being sick. Through it all he had been there. Now she just felt bad. "You're right," she whispered, feeling like the world was tilting on her. "I _am_ scared."

He pushed off the banister and took a few steps towards her but he stopped, unsure if she would want him to touch her. "Of what?"

She shrugged. "What would I do without you? What if somehow you end up realizing that I'm really not like you and you shouldn't-"

"Sophia that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life," he barked.

She looked away, crossing her arms over chest. "I know."

"What the hell would make you think somethin' like that?"

She shrugged, still not looking at him. "You hear about that all the time. Girls put out and as soon as the guy get's what he wants he just moves on to the next stupid girl."

"Are you hearing yourself! I wasn't even the one that started any of that! You were! And in the end you didn't even put out! Man, that sounded bad. I wasn't expecting you to... Goddamn it," he grumbled and she could swear that he blushed.

"You didn't need much coaxing before you... did stuff," she muttered.

"Yeah, well, after I started doing the stuff you sure as hell weren't telling me to stop," he countered.

Her face burned hotter. "Can we not talk about it?"

"Was it really that bad because I distinctly remember you telling me to not st-"

"Stop!" Sophia hissed, closing the distance between them.

He flashed her a quick grin but then he grew serious again. "So are you over it now? Can things just go back to normal?"

She nodded and that was all the consent he needed before his arms went around her. She felt better. More than better, really. She almost wished that she wasn't so dependent on him. Like she wasn't a whole person and she wasn't ever safe unless he was close to her. It was stupid. She was too young to feel that much for a boy. Then again, she didn't feel very young anymore and she knew he didn't either.


	56. Chapter 56

**We have storms coming so if you don't get an update tomorrow it is because my internet is out! My fingers are crossed that that doesn't happen! It's been messing up horribly for days! Anyway, I went over this chapter and cracked up a bit. I hope you enjoy it too. Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Fifty Six**

Carol had been nervous those first few days in the house. There was still so much her and Daryl needed to learn about each other. And that first day, when she had found him staring into the closet like he was in the grip of some kind of nightmare, she had started doubting that they would really be able to make this place their home.

That was five weeks ago. A lot changed in five weeks. Summer break was over and Sophia went back to school. Her and Piper and Damon were back to being inseparable. Daryl went to work at the garage. She went back to the bakery. Her biggest fear had been that Daryl would realize that all of this was too much. That he would realize that all those years he spent doing what he wanted when he wanted with whomever he wanted were a lot more fun than anything she could have offered him. That fear was ebbing drastically.

They were alone now, which rarely happened in the middle of the day, and any worry she had had about him finding her unattractive with her ever expanding belly was tossed out the window. He wasn't bored with her. He wasn't repulsed by her. He wasn't _uninterested_ in the least. Like now, they were taking advantage of the empty house. Somehow they ended up tangled together on the couch. He had her trapped between his body and the back of the couch so there was no escape, even if she had wanted too, which she definitely did not.

He kept trying to ease her shirt up and she kept pushing his hand back down. He was trying to distract her with his teeth on her throat and although it was very distracting, she knew that it was rare that no one was home and the likelihood of them getting caught making out on the couch like a couple of teenagers was high. She had never met anyone with so much energy.

"We need to talk about something," she breathed, once again pushing his hand out of her shirt.

"I can think of somethin' to use my mouth for that's a lot better than talkin'," he drawled, dragging his tongue over the shell of her ear. His leg pushed further between hers.

"I'm being serious," she muttered, moving her head so he had better access to her throat.

"Me too," he mumbled as his hand slid around her hip to her ass.

"Piper and Sophia both have Birthdays coming up."

He growled.

"And June thinks... Oh God," she whimpered as his hand dipped into the front of her pants. "... Thinks we should just throw them a party together."

Between the awkward angle and how tight her jeans were fitting nowadays, he couldn't get his whole hand in her pants so he went to work on getting them unbottoned. "That's a good idea." His lips trailed up her jaw and finally he was kissing her again, momentarily making her forget that they had something to discuss.

When he pulled back slightly, grinning in triumph once he was finally able to get his hand into her pants, she forgot what she needed to say. He barely managed to push one thick finger into her when they heard heavy boots on the porch.

"You gotta be kiddin' me," he growled. Instead of removing his hand from her pants he plunged his finger deeper, causing her to whimper again. "It's like those mother fuckers can smell it every time you get wet."

She stared at him, eyes wide, wondering if he was going to get the door or if he was going to continue doing what he was doing. Someone tried the knob but it was locked so they rung the doorbell. He glanced over his shoulder and then kissed her hard before removing his hand. She watched as his finger slipped between his lips, tasting her and then he grinned devilishly. "This ain't over."

"God, I hope not."

He rolled off the couch just as the person outside started beating on the door. She stood up, closing her eyes against a wave of dizziness, and then fixed her jeans just as he was pulling the door open. Merle, Randy and Buck walked in then, followed by the girls, Damon, June and Odin. Daryl was still cursing under his breath when he slammed the door.

"We interrupt something?" Buck asked, grinning.

Daryl growled at him on his way by. "What the hell are you all doin' here? It's your night to cook, damn it."

Buck leaned down, planting his lips to Carol's forehead while he ruffled her hair. "It is but there's been a change of plans."

Carol glanced at the clock, knowing they needed to go within' the hour. "We already have plans, Buck. Remember? I have an appointment in an hour."

Merle slammed the fridge, beer in hand. "No shit. That's the change of plans. You think we're gonna miss this?"

Carol looked from one face to the next. She hadn't been expecting them all to want to go with them. She had changed doctors shortly after she found out she was pregnant so she wouldn't have to make the trip back and forth to Atlanta so it wouldn't be a hard trip for everyone to make. With Sophia she had made the trips to the doctor alone. She was sure that they had all thought her to be a single mother. "You guys don't all have to go. They don't let many people in anyway. You'll just be waiting until it's over and you can do that somewhere more comfortable than a waiting room, I'm sure."

This wasn't something that occurred to any of them, apparently. Buck and Merle instantly started arguing about who was going to be in the room. Daryl sighed and sat down on one of the stools, pulling her backwards so she was nestled between his legs. His lips went to her ear then. "You don't have to let any of them go, you know."

She leaned further into him and watched as the whole group argued. "I want them there. I was all by myself with Sophia. It's strange having so many people... care."

He chuckled. "Yeah, you'll get over that sooner than you think. Fuckin' nags, every one of'em."

Merle was glaring at Buck. "You can kiss my ass! I'm goin'!"

"If there's a limit to how many people can be in there then you're ass is in the waiting room boy. I'm goin' in." Buck looked ready to kick Merle's ass.

Merle shook his head. "You know how much puke I had to look at cause of this kid? I didn't see you doin' that. I'm goin'! Daryl got to have the fun makin' it and then I had to clean up the mess when he wasn't around so I'm there."

Carol watched them with a goofy grin on her face. Even Randy was arguing points. June was quiet until Odin started in and then she jumped all over him, declaring that she was the one that made sure Carol had what she needed and was fed while she was sick for all that time.

"We shouldn't let any of them go back there," Daryl muttered in her ear.

"Actually I think if Buck throws his weight around a little, they'd make an exception to the rule and let the whole family in. But if not, I want Merle in there."

Daryl chuckled. "If Buck starts throwin' his weight around then they'll need a new office."

Carol and Daryl slipped out of the kitchen and up the stairs while the rest of them were bickering. "Are you nervous?" She asked as she changed into a vintage tee shirt.

He eyed her and then shook his head. "Nah. What is there to be nervous about?"

She eyed him right back. "Well, for one, this is your first. It would make sense if you were nervous."

He raised a brow. "First, huh? How many more you plan on having?"

"And second," she said, ignoring him, "If there's anything wrong then today is probably the day we find out. There's other tests I have to take but usually things show up in an ultrasound."

All humor vanished from his face. "Wrong? Like what?"

She shrugged. "Any deformities, delayed organ development. You know, that kind of thing."

His face grew pale, his eyes frantic. "Could that happen? I mean, I know it happens but you don't drink or do drugs or smoke and you eat right and you're healthy."

She nodded. "So everything should be just fine."

He still didn't look very reassured. Once they got to the doctors office Buck actually did demand to talk to the doctor and then the ultrasound tech. She imagined she should be upset that all of them wanted to come in. This was suppose to be something big that was just for her and Daryl to share, but she didn't feel that way. All of them really had played a huge part in all of this and she wanted to give them the opportunity to share the moment. He didn't seem to mind so she didn't either.

Once she was on the table the lab tech let them in.

All of them.

The man looked like he was ready to get this over with. He was rail thin, mid fifties with a kind face and thick glasses. His gray hair was meticulously parted on the side and perfectly trimmed like he was one of those older men that made it a point to visit the barber weekly. His black slacks were free of wrinkles, the crease so straight and sharp that Carol was sure if he wanted too he could cut someone with one strategically placed kick. His black shoes seemed freshly polished, not a scuff in sight. Even his lab coat seemed ultra white and so starched she was surprised it didn't chafe his skin. Compared to the rest of the men in the room, he could have been from another planet. "If you don't mind could you just maybe squeeze against that wall right over there. We don't want to... break anything," he said in a smooth low voice that was better suited for a Jazz musician.

Everyone minded what the little man said. Randy and Merle shifted on their feet nervously like they were waiting in line at an amusement park.

"Now, whichever one of you is the father, you can stand right here to get a better look," the man said as he fiddled with some knobs and buttons on the machine.

Carol glanced up when the man stopped what he was doing, staring wide eyed at the group. To Carol's horror every male in the room stepped forward, even Damon. The man's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Get back over there you bunch of idiots," Daryl hissed, elbowing Merle hard on his way past. "Now this dude prolly thinks we pass her around like a hash pipe. Shitheads."

"Daryl!" Carol snapped.

He looked down at her and shrugged. "What?" He glanced at the man, his face apologetic. "Seriously, I'm the one that knocked her up. They're just over eager jackasses."

The man nodded, his eyes wide.

"Yeah," Damon muttered loudly. "Knocked her up the first day they met. He's my hero- Ouch, Buck. What the fuck?"

Carol felt her face flame. She was covered to her waist with a sheet and she wanted nothing more than to pull it up over her head until this was over. So she just took a deep breath, cleared her mind of the Dixon shenanigans that were going on in the room, and focused on finding out what this baby was going to be. The man lifted her shirt and the room grew quiet once more. Thank God.

"Now, this is gonna be a little cold," the man said before he squeezed some gel out of a tube onto her stomach.

Randy cleared his throat. "You know, I've never been into pregnant chicks, but is anybody else kinda turned on right now?"

"Kinda," Merle muttered right before she heard two distinct slaps and then June's quiet voice telling them to hush.

She groaned. The man looked down at her and she just shook her head.

"Okay, here we go," he muttered as the screen lit up and a strange image started coming into focus.

For a second Carol felt panic. This didn't look anything like it had when she had gotten an ultrasound when she was pregnant with Sophia. She was about to voice her concerns when he explained the reason without being prompted.

"These new three D imaging machines never cease to amaze me. Much better than the old ones," he said as he stared at the screen and moved the cold wand over her stomach.

"Holy shit!" Daryl muttered when suddenly the image of a small body appeared.

"And there we are," the man smiled and started pointing out everything they were seeing on the screen.

"Why's it got such a big head?" Daryl asked, anxiety lacing his words.

"Cause it takes after you water boy," Merle muttered.

"Fuck you Merle, this is serious shit," Daryl barked. The baby moved at the sound of his voice and he grew very still beside her.

"Actually, he's pretty much perfect. Right now he's still developing. The head may seem large but it's only because his body is catching up."

"He?" Everyone in the room seemed to ask in unison.

The man smiled and glanced over his shoulder. "Yes. He. You can see right..." He moved the wand down, "There."

"That's so fucked up," Damon whispered loudly. "I can see his baby junk."

Randy laughed. "Well fuck me. He takes after you, Buck. I thought it was a third arm."

"Stop starin' at my kids package you bunch of freaks," Daryl barked.

"Oh my goodness," the man muttered quietly, shaking his head.

Carol stared at the screen, unable to form any words at all as everyone grew quiet once more as they admired the image.

"Mr. Dixon, you must talk a lot," the man said, smiling again now that he was looking at the screen.

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" Daryl asked, sounding defensive.

The man nodded towards the image. "Because every time you say something he reacts. I would say he responds the same way to his mama here but she's more quiet than you. Something tells me that this little guy is going to have one very colorful vocabulary stored in that little brain of his once he makes his debut. He can't necessarily hear but he can feel the vibrations of your voices right now, and he seems to be very familiar with yours."


	57. Chapter 57

**My internet worked for the most part yesterday but I couldn't get my fanfiction to load! I heard it was out for several other people too so it must have just been a site issue. Anyway, we are down to the last twenty one chapters I believe! Makes me almost sad!**

 **Chapter Fifty Seven**

Once they all filed out of the clinic they stopped to talk about what they needed to do for dinner. It was getting late and everyone was in a celebratory mood. Carol looked dazed and Daryl completely understood. He felt that way himself. Up until now, he didn't think the reality of all of this had really sunk in. Sure, he knew that she was pregnant. He knew that the baby she carried was his. He knew, but hadn't really grasped what all of it really meant until he was looking right at it. He'd just stared his son right in the face. The thought had him stunned.

"We should hit that steakhouse outside of town," Merle suggested. "We need to celebrate."

Everyone seemed to be in complete agreement. Daryl and Carol had ridden in together in the truck and as everyone piled in their own vehicles the two of them were still standing there. Once the others were gone he looked down, meeting her eyes. They were wide and clear, reflecting the blue of the sky. "Are you okay?" She asked suddenly.

He blinked in surprise. "I think so. Just a lot to take in."

"Would you rather just go home? We can call Buck and tell him we just want to be alone. I'm sure they wouldn't mind."

He nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, that's a good idea. You don't know how awful it can get when we all go out together."

"Oh trust me, I can just imagine." She made the call as he drove towards home. He felt stoned. There was a strange nebulous feeling in his chest, like it was filled with helium. When the house came into view he saw it in a different light. There had always been an air of the past that seemed to cling to the eaves. It had been a little dark. Now it felt like a different house. There was a lightness there. He could see himself raising a family here. Really see it. It wasn't just an idea anymore. It was real. Very very real. He had a son. Not one that he could touch just yet but he was real all the same. An actual person. A living breathing part of himself. Flesh and blood and bone and very real. And he even knew the sound of Daryl's voice. Reacted to that sound because it was familiar.

He swallowed hard and killed the engine, still staring at the house. The large yard enclosed on three sides by the woods. The sun shining off the windows in the tower, causing him to squint. "You wanna get married?" He blurted, not putting much thought into the words but meaning them with everything in him. He glanced over at her.

She was staring at him with wide eyes, her lips parted in a silent gasp. "What?"

"Do you wanna get married?" He repeated even though he knew she heard him the first time.

She blinked and then searched his face. "You mean eventually?"

He shook his head. "No. Now."

Her brows pulled together in a frown. "What?"

"Now."

"Daryl, we can't just get married now. You have to get a marriage license and you have to-"

"Where do you get one of those then? We can get one now."

She was still staring at him and then the horrible realization that maybe she didn't want to marry him crossed his mind. He'd asked her and she hadn't said yes and now she was telling him why they couldn't do it.

"Forget it," he said quickly. "That was stupid. I don't know what the fuck I was thinkin'. It's been a weird day." He tried to laugh but it sounded strained.

She shook her head. "You can't ask me to marry you and then tell me to forget it!"

"Yeah I can."

"No you can't!" She exclaimed, sliding across the seat as he opened the door to jump down. "Daryl!"

He turned, reaching up and gripping her by the waist so he could help her down. He really needed to just start using her car, even though he hated it. He couldn't have her jumping out of this monster when she was huge. He gripped her hand and started leading her to the porch.

"Stop!" She yelled, jerking him to a stop and hurrying around him so he had to look at her.

He raised a brow. "I was just fuckin' around," he said quickly, wishing she would drop it. What the hell had he been thinking?

"I know your fucking around face Daryl Dixon and that was not your fucking around face," she said, hands on her hips.

He growled and tried to step around her but she stepped in front of him. "What do you want me to say? You said no so I'm tryin' to save face here. Goddamn, you really wanna rub my nose in it?"

Her mouth dropped open. "I did not say no!"

"Lets just go in, okay? I'm starvin'."

"Do you really want to get married?" She asked, eyes wide. "To me?"

He shook his head, "I told you I was fucking around."

"I want to. If you were serious I mean. I want to," she said eagerly. "But I don't want to if you're only doing this because I'm pregnant. I've already went down that road and it didn't work out. I want you to want to do it because you-"

"I love you," he said suddenly. "I know this whole thing is so goddamn fucked up, been fucked up from the get go, but it don't change the fact that you're the first person I've given a fuck about. Ever. Well, that ain't true. I love my family, even though they're a bunch of bastards a lot of the time, but other than them, you're it. I didn't even think I ever could, then you showed up and I did. I knew that you were it even before I found out about him," he nodded towards her stomach. "I knew you were it that night in your goddamn room. And I've known every fuckin' day since then. The more time goes by the more intense it gets. I want to..."

She teared up, sniffling delicately. "That's the most romantic thing I've ever heard."

He rolled his eyes. "You're always leakin'."

"You're always making me leak," she mumbled, swiping at her eyes.

With a heavy sigh he grabbed the back of her head and pulled her into him.

"Do you really want to do this?" She asked, her voice muffled because her face was pressed into his chest.

"Yeah. I mean, fuck, we kinda done it all backwards. Least this way we're doin' somethin' in order."

"Did it just come to you out of the blue?" She asked, still pressed against him.

"Yeah." There was no sense in lying.

"And you're sure that's what you really want to do?"

"I know I don't want you walkin' around with another man's last name. I know that there ain't ever gonna be anybody else. Why not?"

"When?"

He shrugged. "Whenever."

"This is crazy," she muttered, finally looking up at him. "But it is very us."

He studied her carefully. "Fuck it. We're on a roll so why stop with a kid, right?"

She laughed and pulled away, dragging him towards the door. Once they were inside he sat down heavily on the couch. It had been an emotionally exhausting day. She surprised him when she climbed right onto his lap, straddling his hips. He definitely wasn't too exhausted for that. Mentally he was tired, physically, yeah, he could definitely handle anything physical. His body responded immediately. "First things first. We need to talk about the girls Birthday. I don't know what to get her. She's so different now."

He met her eyes, his brows coming together in a frown. "Guess I shoulda mentioned that sooner."

"What?"

"She wants a car," he said with a shrug.

She sighed heavily. "That's just great. How am I going to afford a car? June pays me a lot better than she should but that's a lot of money."

He averted his eyes. "We built Piper one. Been workin' on it for a while now. We actually just got it finished. It wasn't easy hidin' it from her either but we managed. She has no idea."

Carol's face fell further. "Damn it. You built her one?"

He nodded. "Sixty nine Plymouth Roadrunner. She's wanted one since she was fuckin' four and Merle took her to her first car show. It's pretty bad ass. Green metal flake paint job, black hood stripes. That kinda car could give a man a boner quick."

"Maybe I can get a small loan. I wish I had more time."

He sighed, realizing that this was one of those times he possibly could have fucked up without realizing it. "You ain't gotta do that."

"Daryl, she would never ever say anything but it would probably crush her to have to watch Piper get a car while I give her, what? Some clothes? I had no idea that getting a car was important to her. She never tells me anything because she doesn't want to stress me out. Why didn't you say anything to me when she told you?"

"Well, cause I didn't think about it."

She looked hurt. "I know that this is all new to you, and I don't expect you to be perfect but you really shouldn't have blown this off."

He scowled. "I didn't blow it off. She's got the damn car, Carol. What the hell do you think I am? An asshole? Jesus. I just didn't think about telling you about it. It kinda just happened. Paid for it yesterday at the shop."

Her eyes grew wide. "You bought her a car and didn't tell me about it? It just slipped your mind?"

He shrugged. "I'm easily distracted, what can I say. And I didn't want you to tell me that it was too much. We split three ways on it. Me, Buck and Merle. Six grand. That's not so bad."

"The three of you spent two thousand dollars a piece on my daughter?" Carol looked like her eyes were about to bug out of her head. It made him feel bad about what he had to say next.

"Uh- no. Six grand... a piece."

"Eighteen... You bought her an eighteen _thousand_ dollar car?"

He nodded, unsure how to proceed. She kind of looked like she was choking. "It was a crazy fuckin' deal though. She could get twenty five out of it easy."

"Daryl, where did you come up with that kind of money? Jesus Christ!"

"I got a lot of money," he said with a grin.

She stared at him. "Okay. Okay, I know that sometimes what you guys do in the club is illegal. I don't ask and you don't tell. I've come to terms with that. I've come to terms with a lot. But you can't just throw that kind of money around like it's nothing. You can't just buy extravagant gifts for a teenage girl because you have some money on hand."

His brows shot up. "I don't make any profit from the shit that goes down in the club. Buck's ran his own garage for a long time now. When me and Merle got old enough he let us in. It's business."

"You can't make that kind of money fixing cars."

He shook his head. "No, you can't. But you can make that kind of money by buying shit and rebuilding them. You have no idea what classic bikes and cars are worth now days if you know how to flip them. And we know how to flip them."

"You... you have money?"

He nodded, squirming under her scrutiny, which was a bad idea since she was still straddling him. He stilled. "Yeah. I have money."

"And you never told me?" She gaped.

Again, all he could do was shrug. "You weren't after me for my money. You were after me for my dick. It's why I love you."

She was too stunned to laugh at his proclamation. "How much money do you have?"

"Not as much as Buck or Merle since I fucked off a lot up until I met you."

"How much?"

"I think I got a bunch in the bank but Buck handles all that. I got some in a safe at the garage. And I got some stashed under the floorboards of that room above the garage. I forgot about that. But yeah, I got money."

"You're rich?" She blinked.

He shook his head. "No. If I was rich I'd dress better and have manners."

She shook her head, her face still disbelieving. "What am going to do with you?"

He grinned. "Whatever the hell you want."


	58. Chapter 58

**So, this chapter may be a little pointless but, while writing it, I must have realized it had been a while since there had been any smut. So, here you go. Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Fifty Eight**

Carol couldn't sleep that night. She had felt tired so she'd gone to bed early but even after Daryl had came up and went to bed himself, she still couldn't shut off her brain. She was still reeling from the days events. It seemed like there was always something. Always some new nugget of knowledge to be had. Would she ever figure this family out? She sighed and rolled over onto her back, staring up at the ceiling.

She smiled to herself when she heard him mumble in his sleep. He rolled, his arm going around her and pulling her closer. She was about to slip out of bed and go downstairs and try to calm her nerves with some tea but his grip on her was tight. It always was. It was rare that they slept and he didn't keep her pinned to him. She didn't mind. He seemed to sleep better that way and she was beginning to sleep better knowing he was right there if she needed him.

She felt a little like her life was spinning completely out of control. It wasn't a bad feeling but she felt like she couldn't keep up with how fast everything was happening. She felt like she couldn't keep still. There was always something going on.

"Go to sleep," he grumbled into her ear, his voice sleep heavy.

She moved her head, unable to see him well but knowing that his eyes were closed. "I can't. I think I'm gonna go watch T.V. or something," she whispered even though there wasn't anyone in the house to wake up. Sophia was spending the night with Piper.

He sighed and raised up on one elbow so he could look down at her. Yawning loudly he rubbed his eyes with one hand. "Why can't you sleep?"

"It's nothing. Just thinking. You can go back to sleep, though. I'm fine."

"If you were fine you wouldn't be talkin'. It's two in the mornin'," he grumbled.

"I just can't shut off my brain I guess."

He snorted lightly, dropping his head back down to the pillow. "Yeah, I never have that problem. It's usually hard for me to get mine to work at all."

She laughed, shaking her head. "That's not true." She pushed his arm off of her and sat up, rolling her neck and shoulders, groaning slightly.

"You're all tense is what your problem is," he said as he sat up with her. He scooted until his back was pressed against the headboard. "Come here."

She moved until she was sitting between his legs, her back to his chest. His hands went to work on her shoulders and the back of her neck, kneading the tense muscles there and she groaned, leaning her head forward. She felt herself relax more and more until she heard him yawn again. Smiling to herself she tried to ease away from him but a strong arm around her middle stopped her. "Daryl, you're tired. Go back to sleep."

He grumbled something into the back of her neck and then his lips were there, brushing against her skin softly. Just like that thoughts stopped tumbling through her mind. Nothing in the world existed but him. It was like he held a secret switch. It took almost no effort on his part to turn her completely inside out with just a touch. Her worries and insecurities didn't exist when he touched her like that. He moved his legs until she had no choice but to move up his body, straddling his thighs while her back was still to his chest. When she tried to turn he stopped her with his hands on her hips until she stilled.

"What are you doing?" She laughed as he tugged her shirt over her head. His warm skin sliding against her back had her head spinning even though she felt ridiculous sitting up on her knees with her back to him. That was until he unceremoniously ripped her underwear off. Literally.

"Nothin'," he mumbled, finally answering her question. His hands slid over her, work roughened but gentle.

"I like your idea of nothing," she breathed.

"Sure beats sittin' in front of the T.V., huh?" He asked. His voice was low and smooth and seemed to vibrate against her center although his lips were still pressed against her back.

"It does." She bit her lip when his hand slipped between her legs, his fingers moving slowly back and forth. "It really really does," she breathed, unconsciously rocking into his fingers. His touch was so light but still sent a shocking jolt up her spine.

He growled low in his chest and moved his hand from between her legs before she felt him shifting under her. Without moving her he managed to finally lose his boxers. His hands went to her shoulders, pushing her gently. She whimpered when she realized what he wanted her to do. He moved quickly as soon as she was on all fours, his hands running over the swell of her hips, to her waist and then back down. She yelped when he slapped her ass hard. She actually worried over how much she liked it though.

He wasn't as rough with her as he used to be. There was always that fear in the back of his mind that he could actually hurt the baby so when he finally did move, he slid into her slowly, his hand pushing her shoulders down further until her face was on the bed and her ass was in the air. Another growl escaped him once he was settled, deep and heavy inside her. Instead of moving he gripped her hips harder and pushed her forward before yanking her back into him. She cried out, shocked at how intense this new position felt.

His pace wasn't punishing but he was moving quicker than he usually dared to, gripping her hips so hard she was sure they would bruise but she didn't dare tell him to stop. With every thrust a broken sound escaped her as her body wound tighter and tighter around his. Every nerve ending in her body was on fire.

"Jesus, woman," he bit out from between clenched teeth.

His name tore out of her parched throat, loud and desperate as the force of her orgasm rocked her forward. On their own volition her thighs slammed together, her body almost rejecting the extreme pleasure, like it was instinctively trying to protect her from so much sensation at once. This didn't deter him or dull the shocking intensity coursing through her. It actually heightened it. A broken sound escaped her and instantly he stilled, fearing he'd somehow hurt her.

"Don't you dare fucking stop!" She growled, flying too high to even care that she sounded like a woman possessed.

"Holy shit," he breathed, slamming into her again. He didn't stop until she was close to collapsing, her body quaking with aftershocks that had her burying her face into the bed and whimpering pitifully.

He pulled away, surprising her because she knew that he wasn't finished yet. She knew him well enough now to know that much. She rolled over to see what he was doing and he was right there, slipping between her legs and pushing back into her, his lips hot on hers. She ran her hands down his back, feeling the muscles there flex as he moved over her fluidly, his body flush with hers. The kiss grew deeper, his pace slowing to an almost languid rhythm. It didn't seem to matter how he moved, her body responded accordingly, that sweet pressure building higher and higher. Her nails bit into his back as her own arched.

He growled, his teeth sinking into the delicate skin at the base of her throat. The heat from his release as he poured into her only increasing her own. Slow paced or not, she came with the same intensity as she had just a few minutes before but this time it was better because she could feel all of him and he was enjoying it just as much as she was. When she came down he was still braced over her, keeping most of his weight off of her.

She ran her hands up his chest, over his shoulders and then finally linked her arms around his neck. He dropped his forehead to hers, breathing heavily. They stayed like that for a long time before he finally rolled off of her.

Their heads were at the foot of the bed but she didn't even feel like she had the energy to move but he didn't give her choice. He finally sat up and grabbed her hands. "You sleepy now?" She could barely make out his lazy grin in the dark.

"Mmm," she hummed in the back of her throat. She didn't even bother looking for her shirt. She made it to her pillow and then stretched like a cat.

He laid down next to her, pulling the sheet up over them both to fight the chill. "You notice a pattern here?" he asked once he settled in next to her.

She smiled. "I don't know what you're talking about." She felt his head move closer.

"You always have trouble sleepin' unless we do this," he chuckled. "You're some sort of sex fiend."

She scoffed sleepily. "That isn't true. It's hormones."

He pulled her closer, muttering something that she didn't catch as his hand ran over her stomach. She fell asleep easily after that.


	59. Chapter 59

**Chapter Fifty Nine**

Daryl and Merle stood back, admiring the car that they had just got done waxing. It was a powder blue sixty eight Impala. They both studied it with a critical eye. "You think we shoulda looked for a newer car?" Daryl asked, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

Merle scoffed. "Fuck that. I hate new cars."

Daryl rolled his eyes. "Well, it ain't for you, dumb ass. We built that Plymouth because we knew that's what Piper wanted. It's what she's always wanted. Sophia might be one of those kids that are into new shit. We shoulda just asked her."

Merle sighed and wiped his rag over the fender. "Are you crazy? Damon's dragged that girl to every car show in Georgia. If she ain't a fan by now then there's something wrong with her."

Daryl scowled. "There ain't nothin' wrong with a teenage girl wantin' a new car."

"There is something wrong with a man that frets this goddamn much over it. She's gonna love it. It's a goddamn car. Why you got your panties in a wad?"

Daryl ignored him but then Merle shot an elbow into his ribs. He looked up and shrugged. "I don't know. The kid's had a rough way to go, man."

Merle's cocky look dried up and then he nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right. But that shits over now. You're gonna spoil her and then she's gonna end up bein' a dick all the time."

Daryl tipped back his beer and shook his head. "That kid ain't got it in her to be a dick."

"You really do give a fuck, don't you?" Merle asked, watching him closely. "Gettin' all paternal and shit. What the hell has that woman done to you, baby brother?" He grinned.

Daryl didn't reply. What could he say? Merle was right. In a short time every goddamn thing about him had changed. Well, not changed but shifted. He was still him. He was just a different version of himself. A better one. He had other people that he had to think about instead of just himself. His actions had a ripple affect. He had to think a lot about what he was going to say or do in any given situation. It was hard, sure, but worth it. He hadn't had any ambition to do anything with himself before all this fell into his lap. He was drifting from fight to fight, from one woman to the next, and going no where.

"Lookin' good, boys."

They both looked up as Buck strolled forward and Daryl had to do a double take when he saw who he was walking with. His heart sank.

"What the fuck is she doin' here?" Daryl barked.

Buck's brows shot up but Andrea just laughed. "I was invited, thank you very much. It isn't like I haven't been a part of this family in some form or fashion for the past ten years. How are you?"

Daryl felt relief wash over him and he ran a hand through his hair. "Damn. Sorry. Been good."

She smiled. "I can see that. Congratulations, by the way. And I owe you an apology."

He frowned. "For what?"

"You told me that you were getting yourself together. That you hadn't planned on getting into anymore trouble and I basically mocked you. When Buck told me about... everything, I felt bad. You didn't deserve that."

He nodded, shifting on his feet.

"You've always had the potential to be a good man. I'm glad you finally saw it in yourself."

Merle snickered and Andrea shot him a look. Buck eyed him and finally the grin faded from his face and he busied himself with picking at a callous on his hand.

"So," Buck said suddenly. "We bout ready to get this show on the road?"

Daryl nodded. "Kids here?"

Buck shook his head. "I figured we could park the girls cars with the rest of them. They'll blend in pretty well." Daryl opened his mouth to say something but Carol chose that moment to walk in. She was wearing that dress that she had worn the second time she had came to visit him in his cell. His mind instantly took him back there. He was sure that this time she was wearing underwear but the possibility of finding out later after they snuck away from the crowd had him grinning like a dumb shit.

She didn't bother hiding anymore. There was really no point. Everyone already knew and even if they didn't, they would be able to tell just by looking at her, baggy tee shirt or not. She wasn't huge or anything but there was no question that there was definitely something brewing in there. Her long legs were tone, her waist slim, so the roundness there low on her belly was a dead giveaway. Not to mention her breasts, that had fit fine in the dress the first time he'd seen her wear it, were showing off a lot more cleavage. He was more an ass man but he was enjoying the less than subtle changes.

When she looked up she beamed at him, her wide eyes shining mischievously. She had been out with June all afternoon. It had only been a few hours but it felt like more. God, when the fuck had he turned into such a sappy bastard?

"My God, would you look at that," Andrea said quietly.

He looked at her sharply. Goddamned if he hadn't forgot that there was even anybody else in the room. Andrea was staring at him, her eyes bugging out. Merle chuckled again but it was less mocking this time. Daryl knew Merle couldn't make fun of him for that because all three of the them were in love with Carol in one way or another.

His eyes slid back over to Carol but she wasn't looking at him now. She was giving Andrea a look that he hadn't seen before, her eyes raking over her and narrowing slightly. "Hi, I'm Carol." She held out her hand and Andrea took it, still looking like someone had smacked her.

"You have no idea how glad I am to meet you. This was completely unexpected," Andrea said, shaking her hand briskly.

Carol frowned. "Excuse me?"

Andrea gestured towards her. "You're absolutely lovely!" She grinned and looked between Daryl and Carol, her large eyes dancing. "You are nothing like I expected. Nothing at all."

Carol gave him a curious look before her eyes went back to Andrea. She smiled uncertainly. Buck and Merle were laughing behind them. "Um... thank you. I think."

Andrea shook her head. "I'm sorry. Really, I am but when I heard about you I had this image in my head of what you would be like and it definitely wasn't this."

Carol looked like she wasn't sure if she should be offended. "I'm sorry, I have no idea what you're talking about."

Andrea shook her head. "I've known Daryl here for a long time, and usually when we meet it's under less than ideal circumstances. When I heard that he had finally given up some of those old habits and actually settled down with one specific woman, I had this horrible vision of some sort of... bimbo in my head. Certainly not," she gestured with her hand, "This!"

Daryl understood now and he grimaced. "Give me some fucking credit, Andrea, Jesus."

She put her hands on her hips. "Oh, I plan on it. I'm beyond impressed. How on earth did you land a respectable woman?"

Carol actually giggled. Giggled like a goddamn school girl as he scowled down at the blonde.

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?"

Andrea shrugged. "No offense, really, but I honestly expected a chain smoking bar whore to walk through the door. Halter top, daisy dukes, three inch roots showing through. Oh give me a break, Dixon!"

Carol looked as delighted as Merle and Buck. "You're a real piece of work, you know that?" He grumbled.

Merle threw his arm over Carol's shoulder then. "Yep, we're mighty damn proud of the boy for snaggin' such a classy lady. No more tossin' his hot dog down any drafty hallways, huh little brother?"

Carol's face turned pink as she elbowed him but Andrea just looked confused. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"Nothin'," Daryl growled, grabbing Carol's hand and pulling her towards the door. "You can all go fuck yourselves now," he called over his shoulder.

"It was very nice meeting you, Andrea. Thank you for coming!" Carol called over her shoulder as he dragged her away.

"Bunch of assholes," he grumbled as he led her out the door.

Daryl," she said, stopping in her tracks and pulling him back.

He looked down at her and knew what she was going to say. "Later."

She sighed and gave him a look that said she thought that was a bad idea. "That's a bad idea," she said, not surprising him. "We should tell them now."

He shook his head. Two days after he had asked her if she had wanted to get married, they had walked into the court house and done just that. The secretary had been a witness. Not one member of their family had been there. And they were gonna be _pissed_.

"I cant even wear my ring," she muttered sadly.

The rings were actually burning a hole through his pocket at the moment. "They're just gonna bitch about it. June's gonna wanna have a big dumb ass weddin' where the two of us have to stand there on display like a couple lab rats with a hundred and fifty bikers trying to pretend like they give two shits whether we're married or not. The only thing it means is that we finally get a tax break for all the fuckin' we do. Frilly fuckin' dumb bullshit. No, we can just wait."

She raised a brow at him. "That isn't all it means and you know it."

He sighed. "Later."

She gave him a look but then kissed him softly, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Do you really think they'll be that upset?"

He rested his hands on her hips and met her eyes. "Yeah. It's gonna be a mess."

"Do you wish we would have just forgotten about it?"

He shook his head quickly. "Fuck no."

She grinned. "Well, at least there's that. So, Andrea thinks I'm lovely."

He snorted. "That damn woman gets on my nerves. I hate having to deal with her. I swear Buck only invited her here to get under my damn skin."

"Have her and Merle ever dated or anything?" She asked, a small frown forming between her eyes.

He laughed at that. "That woman wouldn't date a Dixon. Why?"

"Are you sure? There was something there. It wasn't obvious or anything, just kind of the way Merle seemed to look at her." She shook her head. "No, it wasn't that. More like the way Merle avoided looking at her at all. She's attractive. Usually when he's around women that looks like that he turns on the charm. I've seen it happen a bunch of times. And when she looked at him there was something in her eyes. I can't explain it."

Daryl glanced back. "You sure?"

She nodded. "I am. I wouldn't have asked if it wasn't so obvious. Obvious to me anyhow."

Daryl grinned. "I'll be damned. This is fucking perfect. For once I can torment his ass over something."

She groaned. "Not today, Daryl. This is suppose to be a good day. No fighting with your brother."

He nodded absently, thinking of different ways to poke at his brother.


	60. Chapter 60

**Sorry for the delay! I was gone all day on father's day and yesterday a friend arrived from out of state so I am up before dawn so I can update before I get busy doing something else and forget. Thank you for reading! =)**

 **Chapter Sixty**

Sophia was excited. She hadn't ever had an actual Birthday party that she had looked forward too. Usually it was just her and her mom and sometimes Ed. It was always strained and pretty pathetic. She still wasn't Miss Popular by any means but she had Piper and Damon and the other guys and she had so many people that gave a damn. It was going to be a lot better than any other party she'd ever had. If you could call them parties at all.

There were a lot of cars and bikes parked in the back once they arrived with the usual people milling about. The deafening roar of the others pulling up beside them had her grinning as she finally unwound her arms from around Damon's waist. She looked over at the bike that pulled up right beside them and laughed as Piper pulled her legs up and stood up on the seat.

"Damn it, Piper," the boy she had ridden in with grumbled. He happened to be Randy's nephew, Eli. He was a little older than them and Sophia had only met him a few times. He climbed off the bike, grabbed Piper and threw her over his shoulder. It was easily done since she only weighed about ninety pounds. Sophia's mouth dropped open when Piper wound her legs around the guys waist and kissed him. Kissed him in a way that had Sophia looking away. It wasn't the first time she had seen her kiss the boy but it was the first time she had ever done so out in the open like that.

Damon leaned down, his lips close to her ear. "Buck wouldn't let them date until Piper was seventeen. Eli's nineteen already so he had hang ups. Actually," he glanced over his shoulder, "If any of them saw this, whether she's seventeen or not, they'd likely string poor Eli up."

Sophia grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the crowd. She heard Piper's feet hit the ground behind her.

Piper squeezed between her and Damon and grabbed Sophia's hand. "What do you think they got us?"

Sophia shrugged. "I don't know. Clothes? I wouldn't mind having new clothes."

Piper made a face. "I asked for a tattoo. Maybe they got a tattoo guy to come out."

Sophia laughed. "You aren't even old enough to get a tattoo."

"Yeah. None of us are old enough to drink beer and stay out all night either and yet... Besides that, your boyfriend has a lot of tattoos and he's the same age as us."

Sophia laughed at that. Damon did have quite a few tattoos for a boy that wasn't even a legal adult. "You have a point."

"I always have a point."

"You do. You really do," Sophia said, rolling her eyes.

~H~

Carol rushed to put her dress back on. "I can't believe we did this," she muttered.

He glanced up from under his brow as he fixed his belt. He grinned. "I can."

She put her hands on her hips, glaring at him. "That's because this was all your idea. We should have waited until we were home. We're adults, remember? We don't need to sneak off and do this"

He stood up, yanking her forward. "But it's fun."

She tried to give him a severe look but she ended up grinning at him instead. "We need to get down there. I'm sure the kids are here now."

He pulled her out of the room and down the stairs. She had the overwhelming feeling that people would know exactly what they had been doing. As soon as they got outside Merle glanced over at them and then did a double take. He met her eyes and then his brows shot up.

"What?" She hissed.

"You're cheeks are all pink and you have a hickey," Merle muttered quietly so no one else would hear.

Daryl chuckled and slipped away, throwing her a smug look over his shoulder.

"Damn it," she grumbled, covering the side of her neck with her hand.

Merle shook his head and reached around, grabbing her hair tie and pulled it out so her hair could fall over her shoulders. She huffed and arranged it so no one else could see. "I swear he did that on purpose," she grumbled, slipping under Merle's arm.

"Yeah, I'd say he probably did," Merle grinned pulling her closer until she wrapped her arms around his waist. "But you're the one that picked him so you can't bitch about him now."

She laughed into his side. "Well, the good outweighs the bad anyway."

Merle snorted but before he could say anything someone else appeared.

"Merle, don't you think it's rude of you to cozy up to your brother's girl?" Andrea asked, raising a brow.

Merle seemed to stiffen so Carol moved so there was a little space between them. Sometimes she forgot that her and Merle had a strange relationship that others just may not understand. Like times like this when she was basically hanging off of him. "What do you want, Andrea?" Merle asked, not sounding very friendly at all.

Carol frowned but Andrea didn't seem to be very offended by the tone. She just smiled. "World peace. What do you want, Merle?"

He scowled and Carol studied their eyes carefully, now more convinced than ever that there was definitely an underlying current of tension between them.

She cleared her throat. "Well, I'm gonna go ahead and find Sophia. Andrea, I hope you are having a good time."

Andrea smiled, a genuine smile, at her and nodded. "I am. It's nice to finally get around this bunch for reasons that aren't so damn dire. Make sure you find me before the party is over. I'd love to talk to you some more."

Carol nodded, shot Merle an apologetic look, and then walked away to find Sophia. Whatever was going on with Merle and Andrea was their business. The tension was thick between the two of them though and she wanted nothing to do with it. She found the kids sitting at the picnic tables and was making her way towards them when someone grabbed her from behind, arms going around her middle and hands resting on the sides of her belly. She smiled.

"Why did you take your hair down?" Daryl asked, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Because, you're an ass."

He chuckled and then kissed her shoulder. "I am. Figured Andrea thought to highly of you. I thought a hickey would white trash you up a bit."

She elbowed him in the ribs but all he did was laugh in her ear. "I take it this isn't the kind of party where everyone will be singing happy Birthday to them, right?" She asked, leaning further against his chest.

He snorted. "No. Last time we tried that Piper threw a fit. She was only five too so we stopped."

"I can see that. Who's her boyfriend?" Carol asked, watching as Piper leaned in, kissing a boy she didn't recognize.

"Oh shit. I told Merle and Buck this would happen," Daryl muttered. "That's Randy's nephew, Eli. He's not a bad kid but he's a little older. A few years ago Buck found out that they were sneakin' around and he told her she wasn't allowed to date him until she was seventeen. He thought she'd be over the kid by then but I'm guessin' that didn't happen."

"She wasn't allowed to date this whole time that Sophia's been seeing Damon?" Carol ask with a frown.

He chuckled. "See, that's where things get tricky. Piper is the baby and she's a girl. As much as I hate to say it, that's a game changer. Damon gets perks that Piper don't get cause he's a male Dixon and we're... uh... well, we do whatever the fuck we want. So Piper had to wait for the whole dating thing cause Buck and Merle are sexist."

She turned, staring at him. "And how do you feel about that?"

He shrugged. "Piper and me are different. She's more like a kid sister than anything else. I've snuck her out a few times to see him."

Carol's eyes grew wide. "And if Buck found out?"

He shrugged. "Then he'd kick both our asses."

"And if I had forbidden Sophia to see Damon?"

"Then I woulda taken her to see him anyway," he said without taking a moment to think about it.

She gave him a look that had him back tracking.

"Or I'd probably just talk you into letting her see him anyway." He tipped back his beer to buy himself a few seconds. "Look, Eli is a good kid. He's got a temper on him but we all got issues with that. He's a club member. We've known him his whole life. Hell, he's practically family. Buck and Merle were just looking at the fact that Piper was a girl and that was some bullshit. So I stepped in and helped her out."

"And if this baby was a girl instead of a boy?"

He scowled. "That's different. She'd be way to young to start seein' boys. But I wouldn't be a damn hypocrite."

She laughed. "And what about if she was fifteen and decided to date a boy just like you?"

He glanced up at the table where the kids were and then glanced down at her stomach before meeting her eyes. "You're an asshole," he muttered. "Besides, neither one of them boys got shit on me. When I was their age I was at my peek. Hell, when I looked at a girl I didn't see anything but a piece of ass. Those two are all love struck. And the point is, those girls, with this lifestyle, need those boys. I mean, look at'em." He gestured towards the table. "I had to physically stop Damon from killin' Ed that night. As long as she's with him, she's safe."

Carol's smile faded because she knew why something like that was important to him. The things he had been through would force him to look at things differently. He wasn't sexist, really, but the safety of their women was important to all of them and especially important to him. On the outside she could see how bad it would look. The way these men spoke really did make it seem as though women were property. In reality, she knew it was much more than that.

"So, when do we start? I want to see the look on her face when she realizes what you've done," she said, changing the subject.

He shrugged. "You think we shoulda got her a newer car?"

Carol felt her eyebrows shoot up at that. "Do you really think she won't like that car?"

"I don't know. I liked it. Merle liked it. Buck liked it. But it ain't gonna be our fuckin' car, you know?"

"She's going to love it. At least you got her something. I failed completely this year."

He cocked an eyebrow. "The car's from you too. Hell, if you divorced me tomorrow I'd have to hand you half of everything I own."

She shook her head. "You're ridiculous."

He nodded, "Yeah, I know." He threw an arm over her shoulder and led her towards the picnic tables.


	61. Chapter 61

**Chapter Sixty One**

Daryl expected Piper's reaction. She tried to play it cool for all of thirty seconds and then she lost her damn mind. She was stunned and then she was about to bounce out of her boots. Carol had been right about Sophia though. She was all smiles as Piper gushed over the car. She didn't look jealous or morose. She was genuinely happy for the other girl and that said a whole damn lot about her character. He shared a look with Merle and Buck and he could tell that they felt the same way.

"We can share," Piper said excitedly. "You can have it... on Sundays."

Sophia laughed. "Sundays?"

"Yeah, you can drive it to church or wherever else squares like you go on Sundays," she grinned and ran her hand lovingly over the hood, then she scowled and took the hem of her shirt and wiped at the spot like she had just damaged something sacred.

"I'm always with you on Sundays," Sophia said with a grin, unable to take her eyes off the car.

"That's right. I forgot that you're a very corruptible square," Piper said absently.

"How about you just chauffeur me around. I have a feeling if I put a scratch on it, I'd wake up stabbed."

Piper looked like she had to think about it for a while but then she shook her head firmly. "No, I'm serious. If you ever need it, you can take it."

This had everyone going silent. Daryl was as shocked as everyone else. It just proved how important the girl's were to each other and it was great because Piper hadn't ever had a female friend in her life. It was healthy for her to have someone so close that wasn't Damon.

"Thanks, Piper," Sophia said, sincerity in her voice.

"But seriously, if you scratch it, I'll kill you."

Sophia nodded with a grin. "Noted."

The sound of another car rumbling towards them had everyone looking up and Daryl felt his nerves start to fray all over again. If she didn't like this car he'd just sell it and get a different one. He didn't know why he felt like his whole relationship with the girl was riding on this but for some reason he did.

Piper's mouth dropped open and then she looked up sharply, meeting Daryl's eyes. He gave her a quick nod and then she was grinning. Sophia was watching the Impala approach but he couldn't really read her reaction to it. Once it was parked behind Piper's car Damon hopped out of the driver's seat.

"You got a new car too?" Sophia asked, her smile genuine and her eyes dancing. She looked over at Piper. "I hate to say it but I like his car better."

Daryl blew out a relived breath and Carol glanced up at him with a smile.

"Blasphemy! I should wash your filthy mouth out with holy water," Piper grumbled, running her hand over the hood of her car again.

Damon just grinned, taking his time walking towards the rest of them. He made a great show of handing her the keys.

She looked at them and then back up at Damon. "I get to drive it?"

Daryl rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "It's yours. Do whatever the fuck you want with it."

She looked over, her eyes the size the saucers. "What?" She asked, shaking her head like she was sure she had heard him wrong.

He felt the need to explain. "It ain't custom built or nothin', like Piper's car. We had to just buy it but I thought it suited you pretty well so I thought it would be alright to just get it. If you don't like it then we can just- Oomph." She slammed into him with the force a Mac truck, knocking him into the bricks and giving him no choice but to wrap an arm around her.

"You guys bought me a fucking car!" She yelled.

"Sophia!" Carol looked at her, her eyes wide and disapproving for all of five seconds before she was forced to hide her smile behind her hand. "Watch your mouth."

"Not just me and your mom. Buck and Merle were in on it too. It was last minute." He felt flustered now but he was relieved that she seemed pretty happy about it.

She grinned up at him and then her arms went around his neck, hugging him even harder, forcing him to hug her back. "You didn't have to do this," she muttered into his shoulder.

He shrugged, or tried to anyway. "You earned it. You put up with a whole lot of shit, kid."

"Thank you," she mumbled, her voice catching slightly.

He chuckled. "Don't tell me you're a sap like your mama."

"I'm not," she said, but when she pulled away she had to swipe her fingers under her eyes. She looked down at the keys in her hand and then shook her head again. "Can I drive it? Like, right now?"

He nodded. "Figured you all would end up out at the lake or somethin'."

She grinned, kissed him quickly on the cheek and then attacked Carol with the same enthusiasm. Merle and Buck were next and even though they had reassured him, they looked as relieved as he felt that she seemed to be so excited about the damn car.

He knew where he stood with Carol. Despite his flaws, or maybe even because of them, the woman loved him. He could see it in every move she made. He was confident that there was nothing that could shatter that. But Sophia was different. He knew she was happy for her mom. He knew that she was in a better place now than she ever had been before. But he wasn't sure if she was okay with him as a person or just okay with him being the one to take them away from the hell they had lived in before. He wanted a relationship with her that was their own. Not just because he was with her mom and she didn't have a choice but to put up with him. It was an odd place for him to be in his head because he usually didn't give a fuck who approved of him.

He didn't want to jump into any kind of father role. Hell, she was pretty much grown. But he wanted to be more to her than just her mom's man and her brother's dad. He just wasn't sure how to get there with her.

"Hey."

He glanced down just as Carol wrapped an arm around his waist.

"What are you thinking about so hard?" She asked with a smile.

He shrugged. "She likes the car."

Carol rolled her eyes. "Of course she likes the car. You underestimate her. She would appreciate anything you did for her just because she isn't used to having a man in her life that would. She's never had a father, even though Ed was always there. It was like he hated her. Even when she was just a baby. That's why I was always careful not to have anymore."

He shook his head, his stomach turning. How the fuck could a man feel that way about his own kid? Hell, he was a fucking stone cold killer and he loved the fuck out of his kid already and it wasn't even done baking yet. It took a different kind of evil to be that fucking cold. The thought pissed him off and, not for the first time, he couldn't help but wonder why the hell Carol stayed with the man. But he wasn't going to bring that up. Everyone had skeletons in their closet and she was entitled to hers. God knew he had a walk in full of them.

"Okay, so, the kids are gone now so you get a free pass, but we have to tell everyone eventually. Have you decided when?"

He nodded and pulled her closer. "Yeah. When Sophia gets home tonight you can tell her about it and then I'm gonna just make a phone call and it'll all be taken care of."

She laughed. "A phone call?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I'm gonna call Merle and then he'll pass it along. We can turn all our phones off and then not answer the door for a few days and then by the time we show our faces, people will have forgotten all about it."

"And when did you come up with this?" She asked, raising a brow.

"Just now."

"Come up with what?" Merle asked.

Carol jumped in surprise and Daryl groaned. "Nothin' nosy ass."

Merle snorted and looked like he was about to say something but then narrowed his eyes and bellowed, "Buck!"

Daryl winced. "Goddamn you loud mouth bastard," he hissed.

Merle just watched him until Buck showed up, glancing between the three of them.

"What the hell you hollerin' about, boy?" Buck asked.

Merle nodded towards Daryl. "He's done somethin' that he ain't wantin' us to know about. It can't be the baby cause we know about that but it's something big. I can tell."

Buck narrowed his eyes but Daryl looked away, focusing on the crowd. He glanced back up and now Buck's arms were crossed over his chest and he was scowling. "What's goin' on?"

"Oh for Christ's sakes," Carol mumbled. "A few days ago Daryl and I went to the-" Daryl clamped a hand over her mouth.

"We... er... were gonna tell you that we were thinkin' about... getting dog," he said quickly.

Merle and Buck shared a look before Merle grabbed Carol and pulled her away from him. Daryl ran a hand through his hair, locking eyes with her and shaking his head. She sighed. Merle pulled her back a little further, using her as a shield, his big hand covering her stomach. "Come on, little sister. Tell us the truth," he muttered, his eyes never leaving Daryl's.

Carol bit her lip. "We were thinking about getting a dog," she said automatically.

She gave it a shot but Daryl knew it was too late. He reached into his pocket and then slipped the ring onto his finger. He handed her her own and she put it on sheepishly. She looked guilty.

"There. That's the big secret, assholes," he grumbled.

Merle picked up her hand with his free one and turned it this way and that, whistling low. "You... Holy shit," he muttered.

"Why the hell didn't you tell us?" Buck asked, looking quite offended.

"Because you all make a big deal out of every damn thing I do," Daryl said quickly. "And if we'd told you that we'd decided to do it then you would have told June and then she woulda been makin' all these dumb ass plans. It wasn't worth it. So we went to the courthouse and we did it the way we wanted to do it and that's how it is."

"She's gonna kill you," Merle said, tapping his fingers on Carol's stomach absently. "Like, I'm talkin' blood and guts and castration. That woman is gonna fuck you up, brother." He rested his chin on Carol's shoulder, his brow furrowed and his fingers still tapping her belly.

Daryl huffed, grabbed Carol's hand, pulling her back into him. "Quit tappin' on my kid," he grumbled.

Buck and Merle both grinned but Merle's didn't last very long. Andrea showed up just then, smiling sweetly at the two men before she glanced at Carol. It took her all of three seconds to spot the ring, gasp and then grab Carol's hand to lead her away to do whatever the hell it was women did when they got all gushy over shit. That left him to face Merle and Buck on his own.

"So you really did it, huh?" Buck grinned and slapped him on the back, causing him to wince.

He nodded. "Figured there wasn't no sense in not doin' it."

Buck's smile faded and he held Daryl's gaze for a long time. "You know that I've supported every decision you've made since meeting them girls."

Daryl nodded and swallowed hard.

"And I didn't give you no grief over the baby. Matter of fact, I don't think I could be any happier over that. But he wasn't somethin' that you planned. It happened and I'm glad it did. But this, this is a big deal. This is somethin' that you shouldn't have just done on a whim. I love you, but if you come to the conclusion that you ain't ready to step up to the plate, after you done put a ring on her finger, I'm gonna beat your ass boy. You hurt them girls and you'll be in a world of pain for it."

He scowled. Why the hell did people think he would ever do anything like that? He'd sowed his wild oats. Hell, he'd even circled around and sowed them again. He wouldn't wake up one day and decide that he wasn't able to handle this life. He could handle it. Maybe things moved quick but he was okay with that. Carol and Sophia were okay with that. "You think I'd do that to her? To them?" He asked, anger lacing his words.

Merle shoved his hands into his pockets and watched Daryl and Buck face off without a word.

"I don't think you'd ever aim to. I just wish you woulda given it some thought."

"I did," Daryl growled.

"Did you?" Buck countered.

"What the fuck is this about, Buck?" Daryl asked, searching his father's eyes.

Buck shook his head. "I want you to think about things before you do them. You ain't always been too good at that. I know you mean well now but Goddamn."

"He ain't gonna fuck this up," Merle said suddenly, surprising Buck and Daryl both. "He loves her and he loves the girl and this is the best fuckin' thing that's ever happened to him and he knows it. He's gone about it all the way I'd expect him to. Ass backwards. But he'd eat a bullet before he did somethin' to cause either one of them any grief. Back the fuck off the boy, Buck."

Daryl's eyes widened but he understood what was happening. Buck was a damn good father as far as Daryl was concerned but he had spent a good portion of their life, after their mama had died, in and out of prison and on the road. Merle was the one that raised Daryl when Buck wasn't around. Hell, Merle had been around for quite a few more years than Buck had. Merle knew him better than anybody else and he wasn't about to hear someone, even their father, question Daryl's intentions when it came to Carol. Daryl knew it because Merle loved her too. Not the same way Daryl did but it was there all the same. And if he thought that Daryl wasn't one hundred percent when it came to his relationship with her, then Merle would have beaten the shit out of him already.

Buck sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Alright. I get it. Goddamn, reign it in. I just wanna make damn sure."

"He's damn sure," Merle said, thawing out. He threw an arm over Daryl's shoulders and steered him away. "Now it's time to break the news to June."

"Fuck," Daryl grumbled but let Merle lead the way anyway.


	62. Chapter 62

**AN at the end! =)**

 **Chapter Sixty Two**

"I don't like it," Daryl grumbled as he sat on the bed and watched her. "It's dangerous just the two of you bein' out by yourselves like that."

She turned from the mirror and offered him a smile. "I know you don't like it but I really want to do this."

"Why the hell can't we all go?"

She turned around to face him, meeting his eyes. He looked like a petulant child. "Because I feel like I don't even know her anymore. Up until I met you, Sophia and I were all each other had. We were so close and now we're both so involved with our own roles in this family that I feel like..." she shook her head, feeling stupid.

He smiled slightly. "You feel like what?"

"I feel like I'm losing her and I feel like it's my fault. Being a part of this family is amazing. It's the most amazing thing that could have happened to either of us, but I don't want to lose what we had. In one year she'll be eighteen. She'll move out on her own and start her own life or she'll go to college and I don't want this year to slip by like the last few months have." She watched his eyes carefully and was relieved when she saw understanding there.

"Okay, I get it. But you do know that this is normal right? She's doin' her own thing too. Don't beat yourself up because you can't hold on to her as tight as you used to. She's got friends now. She's got Damon now."

Carol nodded. "I know that. I just want to spend some time with her. Just me and her."

"That shit makes me paranoid," he grumbled.

She let him pull her down on top of him. "I know," she said, her lips brushing over his. "But it's dinner and a movie. And I want to tell her that me and you snuck off and got married. We were planning on telling her first, remember? Just like with the baby? Everything gets messed up before we can ever tell her anything ourselves. I want to tell her."

"Fair enough. Just keep your phone close. Keep your gun close."

She pushed his hair back from his face and kissed him. His hands went around to her ass, hauling her closer. He deepened the kiss and for a few moments she lost her train of thought. Finally she pulled away, scurrying off of him before he had a chance to grab her. "I'm leaving," she said, giving him a pointed look.

"You just meeting her up there?" He asked, standing up and stretching, rolling his shoulders as she watched him. He grinned.

She narrowed her eyes and nodded. "Yes. Then we'll go see a movie or something. Take a walk. I'm not sure just yet. We used to walk down to the canal a lot. Maybe we'll go there."

He sighed.

"Stop worrying. We'll be fine."

He gave her a stiff nod and then she finally was able to escape him.

~H~

"I don't like it. You two don't need to be out by yourselves. It's too damn dangerous," Damon groused as he sat down heavily in the chair in Piper's room.

Sophia flounced down sideways on his lap, throwing her legs over the arm of the chair and causing him to grunt. "We're fine. I'm really looking forward to spending time with my mom. It seems like we're always doing something and we just wave in passing. I'm always with you and Piper and she's always off with your mom or spending time with Daryl."

He sighed. "That's how things are suppose to be. You're seventeen, not five."

She elbowed him and smiled. "I know it sounds stupid but before meeting all of you, it was always just me and her. We were the only family we had."

He shook his head, his dark eyes softening. "That ain't stupid at all. I get it. I just don't like you two goin' off alone."

She shook her head and tried to get up but his arms locked around her.

"You have a gun in the glove compartment. Use it if you need to."

She nodded. He had taught her how to use a gun not long after they first met and she was surprisingly good at it. He reluctantly let her get up and then she was grabbing her keys. Piper wasn't there yet because she was still out with Eli.

"I mean it, Sophia. You Keep that damn phone and that gun close."

She rolled her eyes. "You act like we're in the mob." She was almost to the door when Merle came around the corner with Randy. He grinned and ruffled her hair, causing her to huff and try to smooth it back down.

"Hot date?" Merle asked.

Sophia shook her head. "Me and my mom are going out."

Merle and Randy shared a look and they both scowled. "Alone?"

Sophia threw her arms in the air. "We're going up town! Would everyone stop pretending we're going on a nightly stroll in the middle of Detroit?" She didn't wait for any of them to reply. She grabbed her keys and stormed off. She loved them all but Jesus!

~H~

Carol waited outside of the Chinese restaurant, feeling nostalgic. When Sophia got out of the car she looked annoyed but when she saw Carol she smiled and then glanced around before meeting her mother's eyes and laughing.

"Is this place symbolic now?" Sophia asked, as they walked through the doors.

Carol nodded. "Yes. I think it is. Imagine how different our life would be if I hadn't let you treat me like a human Barbie doll and then our car hadn't broken down here." She tried to school her features into something serious but it didn't work for long and they both laughed.

"I never did get that skirt back," Sophia muttered after they ordered drinks.

Carol felt her face flush and she busied herself with the menu. "I want to do this at least once a week."

Sophia looked up. "What, eat Chinese food?"

Carol rolled her eyes. "No. I want us to get out, just you and me. I miss you."

Sophia's smile softened and for just a moment Carol saw the little girl that Sophia used to be. "I'd like that, mom."

"And I have something to tell you. Something big," Carol said, suddenly feeling nervous.

Sophia laughed. "What now? Did you run off and get married without telling anyone?" Carol felt her eyes widen and then Sophia looked up. "Mom?"

Carol cleared her throat. "It all just sort of happened."

"You're married?"

Carol felt horrible but then Sophia shook her head and laughed. "Mom, I can't even be mad at you for not telling me. I'm just happy that you're happy."

Carol breathed out a sigh of relief and then the waiter came to take their order. When he walked away she looked up sheepishly. "I swear if I do anything else, you'll be the first to know about it. I promise. Now, it's just you and me and we need to talk. It hasn't been just you and me for a long time."

Sophia nodded. "I know. I love spending time with everyone else but I miss this. Not that we were able to really do anything like have dinner before, with Ed around and all, but it was always just us."

Carol nodded. "I know." She looked up and out of the corner of her eye she saw someone walk by on the other side of the restaurant. In that brief glimpse she was sure she saw a leather jacket and her eyes narrowed.

"What's wrong?" Sophia asked.

Carol took another sip from her drink and then stood up. "I'll be right back," she said quickly. She walked to the other side of the room, her eyes scanning the tables. It was crowded tonight but she spotted what she was looking for towards the very back. She stormed over to the table but then she stopped in her tracks.

She thought that Daryl had followed her, or sent someone else to follow her but she had been mistaken. The man's back was to her and she realized that the patches on his jacket were not the same as the ones on Daryl's or Merle's or any of the other men. He was sitting across from a younger man, maybe still a teenager, who glanced up at her and frowned.

Without a word she turned and went back to her table, feeling a little ridiculous to think that Daryl would follow her.

"Everything okay?" Sophia asked with a frown.

Carol rolled her eyes and sat down in front of her plate. Their food had arrived while she was away from the table. "Yes. For a second I thought that Daryl had followed us here. False alarm."

Sophia rolled her eyes. "Maybe it was Damon."

Carol shook her head. "At least we know they care," she said with a sigh.

Sophia chewed thoughtfully. "That's true."

"Okay, enough about paranoid Dixon's. How is school?"

Sophia raised a brow and smiled. "School is good. How is work?"

Carol laughed. "Work is good. How is your devil worship thing going?"

Sophia nodded. "It's great. How is the pregnancy going?"

They both laughed and ate in silence for a while. The conversation came easier after that and Carol was so glad they had decided to do this. Sophia was different. She was different. But that didn't seem to matter. It felt good to sit down and have a meal with her daughter without any underlying tension. They didn't have anything to worry about. They didn't have to deal with any of the things that had hung over them for so long. They were just able to talk and laugh. It was a comfort to know that they hadn't lost anything over these months.

~H~

Daryl felt like a total creeper. It shouldn't have been a big deal if his wife went out to have dinner with her daughter. But it was. He didn't like them out alone. Sure, it was probably just paranoia but it was better safe than sorry. He would rather them not need him and him still be there than them need him and he be sitting at home.

He was parked in the very back of the lot, under a broken street light so he was confident that they wouldn't see him. He didn't know if she'd be upset so he was just going to keep this a secret.

He saw them coming out and breathed a sigh of relief. They had already gone in when he had gotten here so he was waiting for them anxiously. He smiled to himself when they put their heads together and laughed. They both got into Sophia's car and pulled out of the parking lot. The plan was to meet there and then Sophia would drive them to the park where they would walk along the canal for the hour before the late movie started.

It was going to be a long night for him but if they were safe then it would be worth it. He stayed back far enough so they wouldn't know he was following them. There was one car between them but he wasn't too worried about that. Not until the car that was between them slowed and then pulled into the North entrance to the park.

He frowned, knowing that the park was usually abandoned at night. He was tempted to follow the car instead of Sophia's but he decided against it. Whoever was in that car couldn't have known where Carol and Sophia were going.

Sure enough Sophia pulled into the entrance further down and he slowed as he drove past. He would park the truck at the ball field and then he would follow them on foot. He frowned at the thought. This really wasn't normal. Then again, they didn't really lead normal lives.

He got out and started down the path he knew they would most likely take that would lead them to the canal. The dark water glittered with reflections from the lamps that were spaced out along the walkway. He stepped away from the path and spotted them about twenty yards away. He took off in their direction, keeping his distance. He was actually enjoying the walk when suddenly someone shoved him from the side.

He nearly lost his balance and toppled into the water but he righted himself at the last minute, swinging with everything he had as he turned because he heard the guy coming at him. His fist connected with a jaw that felt like it was made of concrete but at least the guy was knocked back a few feet. The guy was faster than he thought he would be and before Daryl could get his bearings the guy grabbed him and threw him on the ground. He was bigger than Daryl but Daryl couldn't see much of the other guy because they were in a spot between the gas lamps and everything was in shadow. He grunted when a fist caught him in the ribs.

He tried to buck the big bastard off of him, his adrenalin raging as panic washed over him. Was this guy after Carol and Sophia? He swung again and landed another blow to man's face and then the man returned the favor. Daryl saw lights dance before his eyes and then he rammed his knee up as hard as he could.

The guy rolled off, groaning and Daryl was on his feet. He was about to kick the sucker punching son of a bitch right in the ribs when the guy suddenly sat up and grabbed Daryl by the leg, yanking him down and crawling back on top of him.

He was able to scramble backwards and climb to his feet before the man could hold him down. He reached behind him, grabbing the gun that was shoved into the back of his pants. He felt the bruise where the gun had dug into him while he was on the ground.

To his surprise as soon as he had the gun raised, the man had his raised as well. The two of them stood there panting for a few seconds and then Daryl realized exactly who he was staring at. He dropped the gun in horror.

Damon did the same. Both of them cursing as they realized exactly who the other was. Daryl growled and slapped the boy in the side of the head. Damon ducked out of the way, tripped over his own feet and then landed on his ass.

"Fuck, I'm sorry! I didn't know it was you!" He said as he frantically scurried backwards. Daryl slapped him in the head again and then hauled him up.

"What the fuck are you doin' attacking me like that! I coulda shot you right in your stupid face!" Daryl barked.

"I was just watching out for Sophia and Carol! I thought you were some fuckin' stalker!" Damon grumbled as he tried to duck away from another slap. "Quit fuckin' hittin' me, damn it!"

"You're lucky I don't drown you in the canal you little bastard! You blacked my eye and bout gave me a goddamn heart attack!"

"Are you two finished?"

They both froze and then turned at the sound of Carol's disapproving voice. Daryl cursed. Carol and Sophia were standing there, arms crossed over their chests as they glared at them.

"Fuck," Daryl muttered.

Carol and Sophia shared a look, shaking their heads before they looked back. "You both know how completely stupid you just looked rolling around like that, right?" Carol asked.

Daryl and Damon shared another look and then nodded, both looking down.

Sophia sighed. "Well, now that you're here, you both get to join us. That new romantic comedy is playing tonight and since you didn't want to stay home, you can watch it with us."

Daryl groaned as Carol and Sophia stormed past them. This was just fucking great. "Good job, dumb ass," he growled as Damon fell in step beside him.

"Fuck off," Damon muttered, rubbing his jaw and scowling. "It was just as much your fault."

Carol and Sophia didn't glance back at them as they all headed towards their vehicles but Daryl had a feeling he was in for it once they got home. "She's gonna bitch about this for a fuckin' week."

Damon nodded. "No shit. Maybe we should have stayed home."

Daryl nodded but none of them said anything else.

 **So, I got a guest review from someone named Syd and I feel like I need to respond to it. She brought something to my attention that I hadn't even realized. She mentioned that in the beginning of this story, Carol and Sophia were extremely close, but as time went by they lost that. She was quick to remind me that she still loved the story, but missed their bond. I completely agree with her!**

 **Sometimes it's really easy for a writer to get bogged down with the busyness of a story and little things like that get shoved to the back burner. I didn't mean to do it, but I did it all the same. This story is finished, yes, but that doesn't mean I can't improve it. So I have added things here and there and I hope that I've remedied that a little. Syd, don't ever be nervous to point out things like this to me. Some writers want people to kiss their ass and when someone don't they get pissed. I'm not that writer. I love this story. It means a lot to me that my readers enjoy it too. If you see me slacking, by all means, let me know! So, thanks to Syd, you all will probably get a few more chapters of this story. Thanks for reading, and thanks, Syd, for pointing this out to me! =)**


	63. Chapter 63

**Chapter Sixty Three**

A week after the girls had their party Daryl got his first real taste of parenting. June was in charge of a huge wedding cake, plus all the desserts for the reception plus two huge Birthday parties for some rich kids. She was swamped and Carol went to work a few hours early. Daryl was sound asleep when a knock at the bedroom door woke him up at a quarter till seven in the morning. He hurriedly shoved his legs into his jeans and was shoving his arms through the sleeves of a t-shirt when he opened the door.

Sophia looked up at him, her eyes wide and apologetic. "Is mom up?" She asked.

He nodded, rubbed his eyes and then yawned loudly. "Yeah but she left out about an hour ago. What'cha need?" He realized that she was still wearing her pajamas. She should have been ready for school by now.

"I think I'm sick," she muttered.

He blinked, his heart jumping in his chest at the first thought that raced through his mind. "Oh God. Sick sick or pregnant sick?"

She seemed to grow even more pale. "Sick sick! Jesus," she hissed.

He stepped out into the hall, frowning even though he was relieved. "Maybe it's just a summer cold or somethin'. We got some shit in the medicine cabinet."

She nodded, and was about to turn when he finally noticed that there were dark circles under her eyes and she looked a little sweaty. He grabbed her wrist, stopping her and then felt her forehead with the back of his hand.

"Holy shit, kid. You're burning up," he muttered.

She stared at him, looking much younger than she usually did, obviously waiting for him, who was the adult, to do something to make her feel better.

"What the hell does your mom usually do when you're sick?" He asked, feeling his nerves kick up. He wasn't good at this grown up shit.

She shrugged. "I don't know. She gives me medicine and makes me soup and lays around with me." She gave him a weak smile. "Trust me, Daryl. I don't expect you to do any of that. You have to work today and besides," she shrugged. "I'm twelve months away from being an adult. I can take care of myself."

He actually thought about taking her up on the offer of braving it on her own. But then he thought better of it. He knew what it was like to feel like total shit and he could tell that she was feeling pretty damn bad. She was already doing better than he would have been. He was a goddamn cry baby any time he got sick. Piper usually waited on him hand and foot. Sometimes he even acted sicker than he actually was just so he wouldn't have to do anything but watch movies and lay around. "Nah, I got this."

She smiled but he knew she was skeptical. He was a little skeptical himself but he led her down the stairs. He found a thermometer next to the Tylenol and grabbed that along with the bottle of pills. She stuck it under her tongue and sat there at the bar until it beeped. She was about to take it out but he plucked it from between her lips and looked at it.

"Mother fucker," he grumbled, glancing at her worriedly.

"What is it?"

"Hundred and three point three. That's bad. I heard if a fever gets too high it can fry your fuckin' brain like an egg and make you retarded."

Her eyes grew wider and she actually looked afraid. "What?"

"Not that yours is that high or anything. I was just makin' conversation. Here," he took her hand and dropped two Tylenol onto her palm. "Take these."

She nodded and popped them into her mouth while he grabbed a glass and poured her some juice. She took it gratefully and swallowed them down. "Daryl, really. I can take care of myself. You really should just go."

He shook his head. "No way." Especially now that he was thinking about her brain sizzling away to nothing. Goddamn, he wished he knew who had told him that. What kind of asshole would put that kind of evil on a man? "Do you feel dizzy? Nauseated? Headache? Muscle aches?"

"Kind of all of the above," she muttered.

His anxiety spiked. "Go lay down on the couch and I'll call Buck and tell him I ain't comin' in today. You want me to call your mom? Shit, a doctor. Should we go to the doctor?"

She shook her head. "No. Usually I just get better on my own. It's just a bug. I'll be fine, Daryl, really."

He nodded but he didn't believe a word she was saying. Once she was out of the room he fished his phone out of his pocket and dialed Buck's number.

"What's wrong?" Buck answered, not bothering with a greeting. Daryl never called this early for no reason.

"If Sophia is running a fever and it's bad how long till her brain melts?" he asked, glancing towards the doorway.

Buck was silent for a few long moments and then he finally spoke. "What?"

Daryl growled in frustration. "The kid's sick and she's running a fever. What the fuck do I do?"

"Call Carol," Buck said after another infuriating pause.

Daryl shook his head. "No, she's too damn busy. June got swamped. I can do this. All you gotta do is tell me how."

Buck chuckled. "Piper's out with the same thing. Give her something for the fever and make her drink plenty of fluids. Feed her soup. It ain't brain surgery."

"What do I do if her fever don't go away?"

"It will. It's the flu," Buck said, sounding much too calm.

"What if she pukes?" Daryl asked, not willing to let go of the phone just yet.

Buck sighed. "Then you let her puke. If you're feelin' particularly nice you'll do what Merle did for your woman all those times and hold her hair back for her."

Daryl made a face but nodded, realized that Buck couldn't see and then muttered, "Yeah, I can do that."

"Cold compress on her head wouldn't hurt. Switch it out between her forehead and the back of her neck. It'll bring a fever down faster."

"Is Merle home with Piper?" Daryl asked.

"Yep. Just me at the garage today. You'll be alright boy. Don't over think it. I know you got some paternal instinct in there somewhere. Take care of her and call me if somethin' really bad happens."

"Like what?" Daryl asked, his heart thumping a little harder.

Buck chuckled again. "I was fuckin' with you. I'll talk to you later."

"Wait! What about food? Am I suppose to feed her anything besides the soup?"

"Jesus, Daryl. She ain't a damn puppy. If she's hungry she'll tell you."

"Okay. I'll call you back if I need to."

Buck sighed. "Yeah, I'm sure you will."

Daryl hung up, grabbed a Gatorade out of the fridge, and two ice packs out of the freezer. He thought about it and put them back, replacing them with a cold rag, and made his way back to the living room. She had the heavy quilt pulled down and she was wrapped up in it.

"Are you cold? I feel like I'm freezing to death," she said, her teeth chattering.

He shook his head and came around the side of the couch. She sat up and even that small movement looked like it took half her strength. He wasn't sure if he should let her keep the blanket around her and he didn't want to call Buck again so soon so he figured that he'd just leave her alone for a while. He sat down on the couch and handed her the bottle of Gatorade. She took it and drank a little, making a face. She handed it back and he sat it on the floor.

"Piper's sick too," he said, grabbing the remote and turning on the T.V. so they wouldn't just be sitting there all awkwardly.

She sighed. "I don't think I've felt this bad since I was little."

He offered her a smile. "There you go. You ain't gotta act tough. You can whine at me if you want to."

She smiled and then surprised him when she laid down, facing the T.V. with her head resting on his thigh. He placed the cold rag on her forehead and she hissed. "That's only making me more cold."

"Gotta do it, kid."

"Did you call my mom?"She asked miserably.

"No, I can handle this," he muttered.

"I'm glad you stayed home," she said after a while.

He glanced down, a smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah, me too."

"Have you and mom talked about names?" She asked as he surfed through the channels.

"Not really. You got any ideas?" He asked.

She shook her head. "I think you should use Merle's name somewhere in there."

He laughed. "Merle? What makes you say that?"

She shrugged. "Leave it on that channel!"

He glanced up and grinned. "Tom and Jerry?"

"I'm sick, don't judge me. And I think you should use Merle because I don't think you realize how hard those months were on him. When you were in jail he was always there at that apartment. He hardly slept at all. We all tried to do what we could for her but not like Merle did. And when she got better he just slipped right into a whole other role. She'd call him in the middle of the night and he'd bring her whatever she needed. When she didn't want to be alone he'd spend the night and sleep on the tiny couch."

He felt awful, even though this wasn't the first time he had heard about everything Merle had done. He should have been the one that was there. That was something he would always regret. And the debt that he owed his brother was something he would never be able to repay. He took the rag off her forehead and shook it to cool it back off before moving her hair and placing it on the back of her neck. "I'm glad Merle was there. I'm lucky to have a brother to step up like he did."

"You would have been if you could. I think sometimes people underestimate you. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me or my mom. She's happy and I... I can be me and not be afraid of anything. Maybe you weren't there for a few months but you're here now. This baby is going to be the luckiest kid to have you for a dad. If I wasn't as cool as I am I'd have serious jealousy issues right now."

He stared at the screen as she spoke, unsure what to say. It was true that people underestimated him. It was true that even Buck had been skeptical when he'd found out that they had gotten married. It was just something that he was used to because that's how people had always thought of him. "I wasn't always such a stand up guy, kid. People ain't passin' judgment on me for no reason."

"Well, they can keep their judgments to themselves if they know what's good for them," she grumbled, her voice sounding sleepy.

He chuckled. "You gonna defend my honor?"

She nodded but didn't say anything else for a long time. He thought she had fallen asleep and he was dozing off himself when she started talking again. "Daryl?"

"Hmm?"

"What you said that night you got out of jail, did you mean that or were just joking because you were drunk?"

He opened his eyes and looked down, taking the rag off of her neck and then he placed his hand on her forehead. She wasn't so hot anymore. He knew what she was referring to. "Is that what you wanna do?"

She nodded. "I know it's probably stupid. I'm almost an adult now but... I've always wanted a dad. Do you think that's stupid?"

He swallowed hard and then shook his head. "Nah. I don't think that's stupid. And if that's what you wanna do then that's what we can do."

"What do you want?" She asked hesitantly.

"I wanna do whatever the fuck I can to make you and your mom happy," he said, his voice low.

"There's just one thing," she muttered, pulling the blanket down further now that the chills had passed.

"What's that?"

"Well, legally that would make me and Damon second cousins. Would that be gross or creepy?"

He chuckled, glad that the heavy moment was passing. "Nah, I don't think so. It ain't like you're kids will end up deformed or anything."

She snorted, sounding just like her mom.


	64. Chapter 64

**Sorry I skipped a day. I'm trying super hard to get one of these other stories complete before this one is over so I can start posting right away but it isn't working out that way! Any free time I had yesterday I spent writing. It turned out to be not a lot of time at all. Hope everyone had a great weekend! Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Sixty Four**

When Carol got home she was surprised to see Daryl's truck and Sophia's car in the driveway. She was expecting him to still be at work and Sophia to be out with Piper. She climbed the steps slowly. All she wanted to do was lie down on the couch and take a nap. She went in early and she stayed over and her and June had worked non stop all day. Her feet were killing her and her back was aching.

She unlocked the door and stepped inside, stopping in her tracks at the sight before her. Daryl was sitting on the couch, his head tipped back and his eyes closed. Sophia was wrapped in the quilt like a burrito, her head resting on Daryl's leg, her eyes closed and Daryl's hand pressing a wash cloth to her forehead. Carol stood there for a few minutes, just watching them. Sophia must have missed school today and he must have stayed home with her. She crossed the room and knelt down in front of the couch, touching Sophia's cheek. She didn't feel very feverish but she was still a little warm.

She stood back up and shook Daryl's shoulder lightly. His eyes snapped open and then he sat up straighter, glancing down at Sophia.

"Did you miss work?" Carol asked quietly.

Daryl nodded. "Yeah. She woke up with a fever and shit. She's been sick as fuck all damn day."

"Has she eaten anything?"

He made a face. "I made her eat earlier but then she got sick so I didn't want to make her eat anymore. Fever came back once but I got it down again. There's probably gonna be an ass indention in the couch. I've sat here all day."

"You should have called me," she admonished gently.

"You were busy. You woulda came home and then you would have felt guilty about leaving June or you would have stayed at work and felt guilty because you wasn't here with Sophia. I saved you the grief."

She smiled. "You are amazing."

He snorted. "What is it with you two tryin' to give a guy a big ego?"

"Something tells me you weren't lacking in that department to begin with Dixon."

Sophia shifted and then sat up slowly. "Hi, mom."

Carol raised an eyebrow. Her hair was a mess, she was pale and sweaty and she looked very much like a ten year old. "How do you feel?"

She shrugged lightly. "Like crap. I think I'm gonna go up to my room. Give Daryl a break."

Carol gave Daryl a lingering look and then followed Sophia up the stairs. "I bet now you're wishing you would have taken a room closer?" She asked.

Sophia blew out a breath. "I do. But I won't feel that way tomorrow. I love my room."

"It is a very... interesting room," Carol said with a smile as they slowly climbed the second set of stairs.

Sophia smiled weakly as she pushed the door open. Carol glanced around the room. The black walls didn't bother her like she thought they would when Sophia and Daryl had first started this project. Maybe she could have gone without the devil face that was hovering above the bed but Carol wasn't worried about Sophia sacrificing anyone. Daryl did most of the work and he had done a really good job of making it look more like a teenagers room rather than a place to have a black mass. It was also a mess. Clothes were strewn about and the dresser was cluttered and the bed wasn't made. It was much different than how Sophia used to keep her bedroom but that was because she hadn't wanted to ripple the waters. Ed wouldn't allow a mess. Daryl seemed to think it added to the décor.

"I'll clean it when I feel better," Sophia said as she crawled into bed.

Carol sighed, remembered her countless conversations with Daryl and smiled. "It's your space. As long as there isn't anything growing under the bed then you can keep it a mess if you don't mind it."

"I love that man," Sophia said with a smile, a large one this time. "He's turned you into the cool mom."

Carol snorted. "I've always been the cool mom. And just a reminder, if you do plan on having clean clothes, it's your job to gather up this mess and bring it to the laundry room."

This got an actual laugh out of the girl. "There's my mama. I'll bring them down later. I just feel like sleeping."

Carol sat down on the edge of the bed and pushed Sophia's hair out of her face. "I'm going to bring you something to eat here in a bit. Nothing heavy but you have to eat something."

Sophia nodded and her eyes drifted closed. Carol checked her head one more time but it was cool now. After pulling a sheet up to her chin she kissed her forehead and then left the room, keeping the door open so she could hear her yell if she needed anything, not that the girl would. She would do it on her own no matter how sick she was.

She found Daryl in the kitchen, leaning against the counter. He was obviously distracted since he didn't even seem to notice that she came into the room. His arms were crossed over his chest and his feet were crossed at the ankles and he seemed to be studying the far wall.

"Hard day?" She asked, opening the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water.

He shrugged. "Not really. Freaked me out at first but I handled it."

She grinned. "Yes you did. And your girl seems to be under the impression that it's only your influence that's turned me into a cool mom that doesn't force her to clean her pig sty room."

The corner of his mouth turned up and he looked away. There was no teasing quip and she found herself frowning.

"Is there something wrong?" She asked, shutting the fridge, her hands going to her lower back.

He shrugged. "I don't know. We talked today. It's kinda depressin' I guess."

"What's depressing?" She asked.

He looked up at her, noticed that she was trying without success to rub the knots out of her own back and motioned for her to come to him. He didn't say anything until she was parked in front of him and his skilled hands went to work on the kinks. "Like you said, she's not really a kid, ya know? She's just about old enough to go out there on her own."

Carol smiled even though he couldn't see it because her back was to him. "You're depressed because she's not a little kid?"

"It ain't that. It just sucks that she ain't really ever been a little kid. I know what it's like to grow up too fast. She didn't have a choice but to be a damn grown up because of that dumb shit bastard and now it's too late."

Carol wasn't smiling anymore. She sighed and then leaned her back into him. His arms came around her, his hands absently moving over her belly. She covered his hands with her own, stilling him. "I think about that all the time. She's happy now. It makes me wonder how I could have put her through all of that for so long. I didn't even realize how miserable she was until she wasn't miserable anymore. Hell, I didn't even realize how miserable _I_ was. That was just how things were. It was normal. It's crazy what a person can get used too."

"She said she's always wanted a dad," he muttered.

Carol felt tears sting her eyes. "She said that?"

"Yeah. She brought up what I mentioned before," he said hesitantly.

She was sure she knew what he was talking about. "You don't have to do that, Daryl."

"I want that," he said, his voice low. "I called Andrea. She said it ain't too hard and she'll get everything together."

She was quiet for a long time after that because she was too choked up to say anything. Sometimes she couldn't believe how lucky she was. Her life was perfect and it terrified her to no end. She sniffled delicately and then felt him laugh at her. She smacked his hand. "Don't make fun of me."

"Oh yeah, she also wants us to name this kid Merle," he said, sounding much more like himself.

She laughed. "Could you imagine how proud he would be?"

"Yeah. And he was there for the worst part. He was right. I got to have all the fun makin' a baby and then he had to clean up puke afterwords."

She made a face. "Merle's a good name. Even if we think of something else, Merle is still a good middle name."

The baby chose that moment to give her a hard kick. She had been feeling him for a long time now but this was the first time she had felt it on the outside.

"Holy shit," Daryl exclaimed, moving his hand. "That's fuckin' creepy. Does it hurt?"

She laughed. "You feel your son move for the first time and then you call it creepy? And no. It doesn't hurt at all."

"You know what I meant," he grumbled, jumping slightly when another kick landed right below his hand. "I meant it was creepy in a good way."

She shook her head, laughing again. "Strangely enough, I'm not offended. I know what you meant."

~H~

Daryl didn't want to move. They had been standing there for a good fifteen minutes but he only felt the kid move a few times. He wanted to feel more. His heart was beating fast and he felt all light headed but there was no fucking way in the world that he would ever tell anybody that. He knew she was tired and she needed to get off her feet but damn if he didn't want to make her stand there for the rest of the night.

"What do you want for dinner?" She asked suddenly.

He made a face and finally let her turn around to face him. "Take out. You busted your ass today, Sophia ain't gonna want anything and you need to get off your damn feet."

She looked down and frowned. "I think it's not gonna be too much longer before I won't know what my feet look like."

He grinned. "You know, I'll be kinda sad when it's over. I don't know what it is but the big belly thing is pretty hot."

"Dear God, you're a closet chubby chaser, aren't you?" She asked, wide eyes full of mock surprise.

He laughed and pulled her closer. "I might be. You never know."

With a shake of her head she pulled him by the hand towards the living room and forced him to sit back down on the couch. He was sick and tired of sitting but he let her get her way cause he was a sucker. Not to mention that she straddled his lap as soon as he sat down. She kissed him and then pulled back. "When do you want to do this?"

He shook his head, "Whenever you want but we shouldn't do it here. You know, since the kid's home and shit."

She rolled her eyes. "Daryl, you know that isn't what I was talking about. When can we go get things straightened out so she can legally be yours and this whole Ed nightmare can finally be over?"

He shrugged. "I'm just waitin' on Andrea to call me back."

"And you're sure that this is what you want?" She asked. He could tell that she was trying to hide the worry but it was there. He knew her too well to not see it.

"If it wasn't then I wouldn't have brought it up and I sure as hell wouldn't have already made the call. You gotta know by now that if I don't wanna do somethin' then I don't do it."

She shrugged. "Not when it comes to us. You do everything."

"So far I ain't done a damn thing I ain't wanted to do," he countered.

She sighed and offered him a small smile. "I'm gonna go check on her. I hate when she gets sick. I always worry, it doesn't matter how old she is." She stood up but he stood up right behind her and forced her to sit back down.

"Have a little faith in me woman, goddamn. I can do it."

"I'm not an invalid, Daryl," she muttered.

"Just go to sleep. No sense in fuckin' up your routine," he said, walking out of the room. He glanced over his shoulder and sure enough she was already curled up on the couch. She worried too damn much. He had this.

 **This was much filler, I know. We start moving again soon. lol**


	65. Chapter 65

**Chapter Sixty Five**

Time slipped away without anyone seeming to notice. Buck's fears were unfounded, despite the speed in which Daryl's life had turned a complete one eighty. He didn't regret anything. From that moment back in early April, when he had first seen Carol bent over that car at the school, until now, almost eight months later, he had managed to acquire things that he had never even dreamed to let himself covet. He went from being a self absorbed out of control adolescent man child that cared about nothing but self gratification, to a pretty decent guy. He was a husband. He was a father. He was a damn good provider. He didn't miss the wild nights. He didn't miss the faceless women. He didn't even miss the freedom to come and go as he pleased. He was full now and he hadn't even known how empty he had been.

Thanksgiving day was a busy one. There were too many people to even have the meal at Buck's and since Daryl had the biggest kitchen, it was agreed by everyone but him to have the whole shebang at his house. Carol and June had spent days in the kitchen getting everything ready. Fall break meant that the house was full of teenagers and since the kids all gathered there to do whatever the hell it was they did, that meant that the adults made themselves at home too. He didn't mind it really. It was actually a pretty good feeling.

He walked out onto the porch and found Merle standing there, his back to him and his phone pressed against his ear. Daryl stayed silent, listening to Merle's end of the conversation.

"Yeah? Well maybe if you weren't such a goddamn stuck up, that wouldn't be a problem, now would it?" Merle growled into the phone.

Daryl quirked a brow and leaned against the closed door.

"You ain't the only one that wants to keep a lid on this. I have a reputation to uphold here myself." A long pause. "I don't know. Maybe he feels grateful for all the work you've done. You could have made up an excuse not to come." A shorter pause this time. "Yeah, I'll meet you at your place afterwords if Piper stays here. If not then I'll have to get my ass back to the house." He hung up, glared at his phone and then shoved it in his pocket before turning. When he realized he wasn't alone he froze, his eyes widening.

"Who was that?" Daryl asked, unable to hide a grin.

"Nobody, fuck off," he grumbled, stepping past him.

Daryl may have been a lot more grown up than he had been eight months ago but that didn't mean that he wasn't still Merle's kid brother. He plucked the phone right out of his pocket, dodging when Merle made a grab for him and diving over the banister, sprinting a few yards away from the porch before he stopped.

"You little bastard, give me my goddamn phone back," Merle growled, lumbering towards him.

"Fat chance asshole," Daryl muttered as he quickly scanned the recent calls, jogging backwards as Merle, stone faced and seething, came after him.

"Little brother, I love your woman so don't make me force her to be a widow," he growled.

Daryl finally pulled up the calls and laughed, holding up the phone. "Are you serious? I knew it! Carol knew it too. How long you been screwin' our attorney you horny bastard?" He looked up but it was too late. Merle grabbed him, putting him in a choke hold and dragging him further away from the house. "Hey, cut that shit out!" Daryl bellowed.

"You nosy little fucker," Merle growled, throwing him onto the grass and straddling him, slapping him in the side of the head hard.

"Goddamn it, Merle, get the hell off me!" He managed to throw him off and tried to scramble away but Merle grabbed him by the leg and pulled him, climbing onto his back and then pushing his face into the grass. Daryl bucked and then heaved himself up and then rolled until he was on top of Merle. Before Merle's arms could come around to squeeze the air out of him he threw a hard elbow into his ribs. He thought he was going to get away but he thought wrong. Merle rolled again and now his face was getting shoved into the ground again.

"I'm gonna make you cut your own lawn with your teeth you little son of bitch!"

"Boys!"

All of a sudden Merle's weight was lifted off of his back and he jumped up, spitting grass out of his mouth and scowling. Buck was tossing Merle to the side and then his arms crossed over his chest as he glared at both of them.

"Hey," Daryl barked. "Don't give me that look. That asshole started it."

Merle snorted. "He stole my goddamn phone!"

Buck looked at them in disbelief. "How old are the two of you? I mean it. Out here actin' like a couple of dumb shits, rollin' around in the grass."

"He's fuckin' Andrea," Daryl said, trying to get Buck to give Merle hell instead of him.

Buck looked over sharply. "You're what?"

Merle put his hands up. "That ain't even true. Shut your whore mouth, Darylena before I shut it for you!"

"Merle, you can't fuck your attorney," Buck said quickly, ignoring his denial.

"That's what I said!" Daryl barked. He glanced towards the porch and then felt his face flame. "Fuck," he muttered. Carol, Sophia, June and all the others were standing there.

~H~

Carol almost wanted to laugh at him. He hadn't cared about getting caught by his father but having her witness his antics with his brother had cowed him a little bit. It served him right for being such a jerk to Merle. He hadn't had to steal Merle's phone and he certainly hadn't needed to make such a scene. Now Merle was upset and Buck was upset and it was Daryl's fault.

Once he climbed the porch steps he ducked his head, grabbed Sophia and moved her so she was standing in front of him.

"You can't hide behind Sophia, Daryl," Carol said, arms crossing over her chest.

Sophia grinned. "Yes he can."

"You aren't helping," Carol said, raising a brow at her daughter. Ever since the papers were signed and in the eyes of the law she became Daryl's daughter, she had become the complete definition of a "daddy's girl". She didn't call him dad. She called him Daryl. But dad was exactly what Daryl had become to the girl.

"Yes she is," Daryl grinned.

This earned them both an eye roll but she couldn't help but smile. "You have work to do. It's seventy five degrees out here and the sun is shining and we're eating outside. All of you big strong men are in charge of hauling out the feast while us females take a break."

He sighed. "No shit? Can't we just eat?"

She nodded and stepped into him once Sophia slinked away. "Of course we can. As soon as everything is out back." She grinned when he rolled his eyes. He pulled her into him, as far as her stomach would allow, and kissed her hard, right there in front of everyone. She didn't mind anymore and he was beyond getting embarrassed over something like a kiss.

They had to improvise because there were so many of them but it ended up being the best Thanksgiving that Carol had ever had. When she was younger it was always just her and her parents and then it was just her and Ed and Sophia and no meal, not even a special one, was without it's bad moments with him around. Today wasn't like that at all. Today was full of family and laughter and the typical inappropriateness that this group was known for. She couldn't stop smiling. Even Merle and Daryl put their small feud aside so they could enjoy the meal and the company.

Andrea showed up right before everyone sat down to eat and Merle didn't even bother glancing up at her. She sat down between Randy and June. Carol hadn't talked to her much but from what she knew of her she liked her. She was straightforward and she seemed to respect this odd family despite the rough exterior. She didn't act like she was out of her element with them and it was probably because she had dealt with them for so many years.

They all laughed and told stories. A lot of them were about Daryl and his unexpected transformation. She had no idea that he had been so... unruly. She listened, wide eyed and grinning as he sat there red faced and grumbling about them all being loud mouths.

The day had been perfect but, like all perfect things, it had to end. It was still early and all of the kids decided that they would do the honors of hauling everything back inside and cleaning up. Daryl and Merle watched them suspiciously but Carol thought that it was nice of them to offer.

"They're gonna ask for somethin'," Merle said after Piper had taken in a stack of plates.

Carol smiled. "Maybe not. Maybe they just feel like helping." She knew that Sophia was quick to lend a hand whenever she could. "Sophia may just be rubbing off on them."

Merle snorted. "That don't happen. The good kids are never the ones to rub off on the bad ones. You can bet they're up to some shit."

Buck leaned back in his chair. "I done told them that today wasn't the day to go off runnin' around. When the hell do we all get together like this as a family?"

Daryl's brows shot up. "Three times a week at least."

Buck made a face. "Well, still. It's a goddamn Holiday and they can stay here."

Carol decided that if the kids did have a chance of escaping today then it would be up to her to make it happen. "It is a nice day though. It's been cold and dreary. It would be a good day for them to ride up to the lake or something. It's gonna be too cold to do it here soon."

Merle, Buck and Daryl all shot her a look. She squirmed in her chair.

"Well, it's true," she said, sensing June was about to agree with her.

June smiled, offering her a wink. "They should get to enjoy it while it lasts. Before long we'll all have to take turns letting them hang out at our houses because it'll be too cold for them to get outside. Then we'll all be wishing they were somewhere else."

Buck sighed. "I guess. Least they are kissing ass first. They usually just do whatever the hell they wanna do anyway."

Sure enough as soon as everything was cleaned up Sophia knelt down between her and Daryl. She looked at Carol first and then her eyes went to Daryl, thinking that she'd have a better chance with him. Carol smiled to herself.

"I know we're suppose to stay here today but can we just drive out to the lake for a while? It's nice out," she said, her voice sweeter than it needed to be.

Daryl glanced up, his eyes catching Carol's. She nodded, letting him have his moment of being a good guy. "I suppose. Don't do any dumb shit and be back at ten."

She grinned, kissed him soundly on the cheek and bounced up on the balls of her feet. She looked down at Carol, raising her brow and smiling. "Is it okay with you?"

Carol shrugged. "I suppose, if it's okay with him."

Another grin and then she was off, hurrying back into the house to get ready to go. Daryl shook his head and stood up, grabbing Carol's hands and pulling her up with him. She was big enough now that she was actually grateful for the help.

She vaguely heard June telling Damon that he had to be home earlier to help with something at the bakery but the conversation was lost once Daryl had her in the kitchen, the door shut firmly behind them.

"I'm ready for everybody to leave. It's been a busy ass week," he grumbled right before his lips met hers.

She smiled. "It's been nice."

"It's been busy," he corrected. "I'm dyin' here."

She rolled her eyes. "How in the world can you think about _that_ when I look like this?"

He glanced down and then grinned, kissing her again, lingering longer this time. "There ain't nothin' wrong with how you look."

She shook her head, always amazed at how quickly her insecurities faded away when he looked at her like that. Just to prove his point he pulled her closer and kissed her again.


	66. Chapter 66

**I'm still writing frantically, trying to finish SOMETHING before this story is marked complete! I have like 8 other stories going at once and working on whichever one the muse points at. What a mess! But I am trying. That should count for something anyway! Hope you all enjoy this one. Things get a little harry here soon so enjoy the smooth ride while it lasts. Thank you for reading!**

 **Chapter Sixty Six**

Daryl hated that she always thought he would end up having a problem with her body. He was the one that got her pregnant for fucks sake. He knew she worried about it more than she should and he also knew that it was still just old fears raising their ugly heads. Ed probably hadn't had a problem with letting her know that he didn't like how she looked but Daryl thought that was crazy. He actually did like it. Not that he went around gawking at every pregnant woman that he saw walking down the street, but that was because they weren't the ones carrying his kid. She was, and that made all the difference in the world.

"Now that we're gonna have the house to ourselves for a change, what the hell do you wanna do?" He asked, his lips trailing down her throat.

She laughed. "I want to sit on my ass and not do anything until it's time for bed and then I want to sleep for two days."

He huffed. "You ain't very good at talkin' dirty to a man, you know that?"

"Hmm, well, I can guarantee you that I won't be wearing a bra while I sit on my ass."

He laughed into her neck, lifting his head and glancing over his shoulder when he heard someone come into the room. He scowled at what he saw.

"I'll see you guys later," Sophia smiled.

"Uh oh," Carol muttered, trying to fight a smile.

Daryl moved so he was standing next to Carol. He leaned down as he studied the girl that was now looking between them quizzically. "You gotta tell her to go change," he said under his breath. She was wearing shorts that were way too short and a tank top that looked at least two sizes too small.

Carol shook her head. "Nope."

He glanced at her, his frown deepening. "You can't let her leave the damn house like that," he whispered.

"Hello?" Sophia said, glancing over her shoulder before looking back at them.

Carol leaned her head into his shoulder. "No, you can't let her leave the house like that. You're always pushing the bossy mom crap onto me while you look like the sympathetic hero. She adores you for it but I'm tired of being the bad guy."

"Are you guys hearing me right now?" Sophia asked, hands on her hips.

"You gotta change," Daryl said after giving Carol a hard look.

Sophia blinked and then suddenly Damon appeared behind her, his arm going over her shoulder. "Why do I need to change?"

Damon glanced down, grinned like an asshole and looked back up. "No shit. I think she looks great."

Daryl glared at the boy until he dropped his arm and stepped back into the other room, muttering under his breath. "You can't leave lookin' all-" He waved his hand in her direction.

Sophia looked down at herself and then back up. "Seriously?"

"Well yeah, your shorts are too short and your shirt looks like you borrowed it from Piper!"

"These are mom's shorts," she said defensively. "And... I did borrow this shirt from Piper."

He heard Carol giggle next to him. "Well, your mom's shorts are too damn short and you can't wear Pipers shirt cause you're regular sized and she's the size of a ten year old."

Sophia sighed but then she nodded. "Okay."

He blinked. He had seen Merle have this conversation with Piper a million times and it never ended with her saying "okay". Piper would storm around, yelling about how she lived the life of a prisoner. "Okay?"

She nodded. "If I leave the house wearing mom's shorts then you're gonna worry that some guy like you were is going to check me out. So I'll change so you won't have to worry about it." She grinned and left the room.

He glanced down at Carol. "What the hell is that suppose to mean? A guy like I was?"

Carol shrugged. "I have no idea. Last I knew, she already had one just like you were."

He scowled after thinking about that for a minute. "He better not be."

Carol laughed, grabbing his hand and leading him back outside to join the others.

~H~

Carol was standing in front of the sink, washing a few dishes that the kids had missed. Another small cramp hit her low in her abdomen, causing her to frown. She had been dealing with them since this morning but hadn't thought much of it. This one, however, was strong enough to have her wincing a little. Braxton Hicks contractions weren't really anything to worry about. She had had them towards the end of her pregnancy with Sophia. Her due date was January second. It was November twenty Seventh. She had five weeks to go.

She finished up the dishes and then made her way to the living room. It was getting late, already after nine, and she was dead tired. Daryl was in the shower, most likely skulking because she had passed up taking one with him. Not that she wasn't extremely tempted but the contractions were worrying her a little and she didn't want to risk having sex with him and then go into full blown labor. She could imagine how horrified he would be if something like that happened.

It was nine fifteen when he came back down, shirtless, damp, hair disheveled. She felt her pulse pick up at the sight of him but then was reminded why she shouldn't be thinking about that when another cramp hit her. This one was a little sharper and lasted just a little bit longer than the last one had. Her hand went to her stomach and she frowned.

"What?" He asked, stopping on his way past her, his eyes flicking down to her hand and then back up to meet her eyes.

She shook her head, waiting for the pain to pass before answering him. "False labor."

She might as well have not even said the word false because at the mention of labor he froze, his face draining of color and his eyes widening.

"Daryl, I said _false_ labor. It's nothing. It's just..." She paused, another pain ripping through her, a little worse than the one right before it. "Maybe..." This felt different than what had happened to her with Sophia. She placed her hand on top of her stomach and actually felt it tensing. That didn't normally happen with false labor.

"It ain't time yet," he finally said, his voice low.

She met his eyes and offered him a smile as the pain faded. "No, it isn't. But even if he's like you and decided that it's time, whether it was time or not, then I don't think there's anything to worry about really. Remember what they said at the last appointment? He's big. Bigger than what he's suppose to be."

"I don't give a damn how big he is, he ain't done yet," he barked, looking at her stomach like he could will the child to stop and wait for another five weeks.

"It's probably nothing. If you want we can go ahead and go on to the hospital and have them take a look. But if this is it, you have to keep a level head and not threaten to kill any doctors or nurses."

He took a deep breath and nodded, finally dragging his eyes back up to her face. "Fine, lets go then." He grabbed her hand and led her towards the door and wrestling a shirt over his head.

She was actually kind of proud of him. She expected him to come completely undone. She was nervous herself. Nervous because he was right. It didn't really matter how big the baby was. There was still a lot happening in there. There were still vital things happening as far as development went. She knew that, even if this was it, everything would be okay but she would be a liar if she said she wasn't scared.

He was halfway to the hospital when he cursed under his breath.

"What's wrong?" She asked, worry lacing her voice.

"I forgot to grab anything. You've had a bag packed for months and I didn't even grab the damn thing."

"It's okay. I probably won't even have to stay. They're going to say that it's false labor and tell me that I need to take it easy. You can call Sophia and have her meet us up there if you want. She can bring it with her."

He nodded but he still looked more troubled than he needed to be. He was gripping the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles were white.

"Daryl?"

He glanced at her sharply and then looked back towards the road. "What?"

"Everything is fine, okay?"

He nodded. There was silence for a few long moments before he said anything. "It don't feel that way though. Somethin' feels off."

"It's just your nerves."

He nodded and then found her hand. "You're probably right."

"Of course I'm right. I'm always right," she said, giving his hand a small squeeze. "And thank you for making Sophia change her clothes earlier. For God's sake, she really doesn't need to borrow anything that belongs to Piper."

He shook his head. "I thought she'd be pissed."

"Honestly? I think she was testing you. She's going to do that. If you actually let her leave the house dressed like that then she would wonder if it was because you didn't care enough."

He snorted. "She knows better than that."

This was good. This was distracting both of them and they seemed to need the distraction. "She does, but she likes the reassurance. I think every time you let her know that you really do care about her, care about her the way a man is suppose to care about a daughter, it just makes her feel good. She never had that before and I think she's always wanted it."

He didn't say anything after that. He still looked troubled.


	67. Chapter 67

**My computer froze on me and I had to turn it off and then turn it back on and I managed to lose over 4,000 words I had written last night for one of my new stories. 4,000 words! I am super pissed! But I'll rewrite them and maybe they'll be better than those words that I lost. I'm just going to keep telling myself that anyway. Hope you guys had a better night than me! Thank you for reading!**

 **Chapter Sixty Seven**

Daryl kept his mouth shut. He wanted to ask them what the fuck was going on and he wanted to tell them to speak fucking English because he wasn't a goddamn doctor and he didn't understand all the fucking medical jargon they were spouting.

"Do you want to go call Sophia now?" Carol asked once the nurse had some kind of weird looking belt wrapped around her stomach.

He nodded and slipped out of the room. He felt like he couldn't breath. He was sweating and his heart wouldn't stop beating too fast. He had heard of people having panic attacks before but he didn't think he would ever have to worry about having one. He dialed the number and held the phone to his ear, scowling when it went to voice mail. She always answered her phone. He had never seen her ignore a call before. That just wasn't like her. He tried again with the same result. And then a horrifying thought occurred to him. What if the reason she didn't answer her phone was because she was somewhere with Damon and she wasn't in the position to answer it? "Oh, that little shit better be keepin' his damn hands to himself," he muttered as he glared at the phone in his hands.

He went back into the room once the nurse came out. She offered him a nervous smile but he wasn't in the mood to smile back. He had one kid that wasn't willing to stay where the hell he needed to stay and another that wasn't answering her goddamn phone. He tried to school his face when Carol glanced up at him once the door was closed.

"Everything okay?" He asked, feeling his heart hammer a little harder when he noticed the machines she was hooked up to.

She nodded towards the machine that was spitting out a constant stream of paper. "Yeah, they're just monitoring it for now. They want me to stay overnight. They may have to give me something to stop labor."

He blew out a breath and sat down heavily on the side of the bed, running a hand through his hair. He felt exhausted. He turned sideways and grabbed her hand. "Sophia didn't answer the phone. You think I should call Merle?"

She frowned. "She always answers her phone."

He snorted. "I know. Which makes me think I might have to rip Damon's throat out."

Her eyes widened. "Oh, Lord. Surely not... She's too... Sophia. She wouldn't do that. Do you think they've been doing that?"

He actually thought about it for a minute and then finally shrugged. "I know he would be more than happy to do somethin' like that."

"Should we... Do you think she needs birth control?" Carol asked, her voice a few octaves higher than it was a moment ago.

He scowled and looked at her, his eyes moving down to her belly, trying to imagine the girl in the same boat. He shook his head so hard he damn near gave himself whiplash. "No! If we do that then we might as well light some fuckin' candles for'em. Buy them a bottle of wine. Hell no!"

She smiled but he didn't see anything worth smiling about. His nerves were stretched to the breaking point and she wanted to talk about going and giving those two kids the okay to do shit that they didn't have any business doing. "Well, I should talk to her anyway. You know better than anyone that if they want to do it then they are going to do it and you also know that in the heat of the moment, sometimes people don't think about consequences."

He was about to say something but she bit her lip and her eyes grew wide, movement out of the corner of his eye had him looking over at the machine.

"It's fine," she said, breathing a little more shallow than she was before.

He realized then that his hands were shaking and he was sweating even harder than before. He wasn't used to feeling like this. Like there was something wrong and he had no power to fix it or help in any way. His phone started vibrating in his pocket and he grabbed it. He frowned when Damon's name showed up on the screen instead of Sophia's. He hit ignore and looked up. "Bad one?"

She nodded but then she relaxed. "It's okay though. Who was that?"

"Damon. I'm gonna go out there and call back. It's probably Sophia. Maybe her phone's dead."

She nodded and then gripped his hand before he could get up. "You're a nervous wreck but you're doing a good job of hiding it. Why don't you just go on back to the house and get the bag? Maybe a drive will help calm you down. If anything actually does happen, it isn't happening tonight. I'm not dilated."

"I don't even know what that means," he muttered.

"It's where the cervix-"

"I didn't say I wanted to!" He felt himself growing pale but it got a real laugh out of her. "And I ain't leavin'." He stood up and called Damon back, walking towards the windows so he could look out over the dark parking lot.

"Why the fuck didn't you answer the phone?" Damon asked. So much for a greeting. He must have gotten that from Daryl.

"Busy, let me talk to Sophia for a minute."

There was a pause that had a chill threading through the vertebrae of his spine and then Damon spoke again, his voice sounding concerned. "She isn't home? She didn't answer when I called her so I called you."

Daryl glanced over his shoulder but Carol was picking at a thread on the blanket, not paying attention to him. He stepped out of the room. "I don't know cause I ain't there. I'm at the hospital."

"Is Carol okay?" Damon asked quickly.

"Yeah, I think. When was the last time you talked to her?"

"She left when I did. I had to go to the bakery at eight and help my mom with some shit for Carol. Sophia was suppose to meet me there but she had to go home first. I've tried to call the house phone too. This ain't like her, man. She wouldn't get me all paranoid and shit on purpose. I'm headed to your place now."

"She didn't make it home. We didn't leave till after nine," Daryl said, not recognizing his own voice.

Neither of them said a word for a few long moments and then Daryl saw the nurse headed back to Carol's room. "Hold on a sec," he muttered to Damon as he approached the woman. He took the phone away from his ear and stopped her before she could open the door.

"Mister Dixon, can I help you with something?" She asked, her dark eyes taking in his face and then frowning. "Are you okay?"

He swallowed hard and nodded stiffly. "Yeah. Yeah, I uh... I have a few things I need to take care of. I was wonderin' if you could tell me if you think the baby is gonna show up tonight."

She smiled knowingly. "We've been monitoring them both. We'll probably just give her a shot to stop the labor but she needs to stay overnight just for observation."

He nodded. "So they're both alright?"

"So far so good, Mr. Dixon." She breezed into the room after that, shutting the door behind her.

Daryl put the phone back up to his ear. "You still there?"

"Yeah... Daryl?"

The sound of Damon's voice had the chill running up his spine turning to splinters of ice. "What?"

"I Just found her car..."

"What the fuck are you talkin' about, Damon?" He hissed, loosening his grip on the phone when he heard the plastic snap slightly.

"I was headin' to your place when you called. The cars on the fuckin' shoulder but she ain't in it. She wouldn't just leave the goddamn car."

Daryl swallowed, his mind spinning and his heart pounding. "Stay there," he growled. "Don't fuckin' touch anything. I'll be there." He didn't wait for Damon to say anything else before he hung up and dialed another number.

"You callin' to apologize?" Merle answered.

"I need you to come up here to the hospital. They're about to give her a shot to stop labor but they're keepin' her overnight to keep an eye on her. I need you come here so you can sit with her, alright?"

"What? What the fuck's goin' on? Where the hell are you gonna be? Are they alright?"

"They're fine. I ain't got time to explain everything, alright? I need you here. She needs you here and I need you to keep her calm." He could hear Merle moving around.

"Tell me why the fuck you sound like that if there ain't nothin' wrong with her or the baby."

"Damon just found Sophia's car but she ain't in it. She's been missin' a few hours. Carol don't need to fuckin' know that yet so I need you here. Keep her company until I get back."

"Ed?"

Daryl shook his head. "I have no fuckin' idea but I'll find out." Once he hung up with Merle he worked on calming himself down as much as he could before he went back into the room. He couldn't just leave without saying anything to her but he sure as fuck wasn't going to mention this. Not yet. Not when her health and the health of his son was hanging there.

"What's wrong?" She asked, sitting up straighter.

He shook his head, forcing a smile. "Nothin'. Talked to the nurse and she told me everything was good."

"Daryl, I really wish you would go home. Maybe go to Buck's and unwind a little bit. I swear you look like you're going to be sick. I promise, we're okay."

He took her hand, hoping that she didn't realize that he was shaking badly. "Yeah, I'm gonna take you up on that. I already called Merle. He's on his way."

She frowned. "I don't need anyone hovering. This is normal. The nurse said this happens a lot with babies that grow as big as this one has. Buck told me Merle weighed almost ten pounds."

"Merle's a fat ass though," he tried to smile. "I'll be back okay?"

She nodded. "It's a waste of time to have him come here. I'm tired. All I want to do is go to sleep."

"You do that. I'll be back," he leaned down, kissing her quickly. "I love you."

She looked up at him with so much happiness in her eyes that it sent a flash of pain through his chest. "I love you too. Now go away so I can sleep."

He let go of her hand and stood up. He had managed to play it off pretty well but the guilt he felt for lying to her was a crushing thing. But how could he say anything to her? He didn't wait around though and he couldn't dwell on that. As soon as he was out the door he was looking up the GPS. He'd paid a little extra to have it put on Sophia and Carol's phones just in case something ever happened. He had never dreamed that he would have to use it.

He stared at the screen and his stomach twisted into a painful knot, the air leaving his lungs in a rush that left him dizzy. There was no way she could be there. But he looked at the address and the blinking layout of the area and knew it was true. With a curse he shoved the phone into his pocket and sprinted towards the car.


	68. Chapter 68

**Cliffhangers. Cliffhangers everywhere. I'm so sorry for that! I hope all of you from the States enjoy your fourth! Be safe out there! Thank you for reading!**

 **Chapter Sixty Eight**

Something was wrong and Carol knew it. She could feel it. She knew that she was okay and she knew that the baby was fine too, but she also knew that despite them both being fine, Daryl would never leave. He would have slept in the car even if the nurses had tried to run him out. If he left then that meant that there was something going on. She had left the house without her phone and she cursed herself for it now.

He had made a good effort and it had almost worked. He had been nervous since they left the house but when he had came back into the room, although she could still sense that nervousness in him, there was something else. There was a feverish, almost frantic look in his eyes. There was a tension that she could almost smell rolling off of him. But she played it off because whatever this was, he needed to handle it. She couldn't shake the cold feeling it left her with though.

It wasn't long before Merle came in and she had to wonder how he managed to get past the doctors and nurses that would surely enforce visitation limits. Daryl was welcome because it was his baby and he had every reason to stay. Merle on the other hand wasn't, so she wondered how he managed.

"How ya feelin'?" He asked, pulling up a chair.

She studied him closely. It was there. He could hide things from her about as easily as his brother. She knew these men better than she knew anyone other than her daughter and she could tell that something outside of these walls was very very wrong. But she smiled anyway. "I'm fine."

"Yeah?" He raised a brow.

She nodded. "I'm sleepy. I'm tired. I'm waiting."

"Waitin'?" He asked, settling deeper into the chair and grabbing the remote.

She shrugged. "Never mind. How did you get in here? I was worried that they wouldn't let you."

He turned on the T.V. that was bolted to the wall and a small smile settled on his face. "Told them I was the other Dixon and... possibly the daddy. Me and Daryl are takin' turns."

She paled. "You didn't!"

He didn't even look at her. "How the hell else was I suppose to keep your ass company tonight? They were talkin' about visiting hours and shit."

"Merle!" She cried, covering her face with her hands.

He sighed and shifted in his chair. "It's fine."

She removed her hands and glared at him. "After I have this baby, and I'm completely recovered, I am kicking your ass, Merle Dixon. From my house all the way back to yours I swear!"

He rolled his eyes. "Go to sleep, little sister. You're bein' cranky."

She growled and settled back down, using the remote on the bedside to lower her head a little. "I can't believe you," she muttered darkly, feeling the heat in her face still burning strong.

~H~

Sophia was having a hard time waking up. Her head felt fuzzy and she couldn't get her bearings. When she tried to open her eyes she found that just that small effort hurt because she was suffering from the worst headache she had ever had and opening her eyes was only making it worse. She tried to remember why the hell she would feel like this but the last thing she remembered was leaving the lake and heading towards home since Damon had to leave early. It had been dark and... nothing. She didn't remember anything at all.

She realized that she was lying down and tried to sit up as she forced her eyes to open and tried to focus. She realized quickly that there was nothing to focus on. She was either stone cold blind or she was somewhere very dark. She was still working on her fuzzy thoughts so she wasn't really panicking just yet. She shouldn't panic. She needed to remain calm and figure out what was happening.

Had she been in an accident? The last thing she remembered was driving down the road and being annoyed at the car behind her for following so closely without passing her, even when they reached a long stretch of road where passing would make a lot more sense than tailing her like that.

She felt her brow furrow when she realized that she was lying down. It was cold. Extremely cold and she was shivering. Was she on the road? Had she crashed and gotten thrown from the car? But that was unlikely because she always wore her seat belt. She would still be inside the car if she had hit something. And surely it wouldn't be so cold. And there would be light. Even on the dark stretch of county road she lived on, there would be lights in the distance. There would be stars because she distinctly remembered gazing up at them as she laid on the hood of Damon's car with him earlier.

So what had happened? Why was it so dark? She felt the ground with her fingertips and frowned when she discovered that it felt like cement. But that didn't make any sense either. A flash of a memory had her stiffening there on the floor. There had been a truck blocking the road. It looked like there may have been an accident so she had slowed, pulling over to the side of the road. The car behind her did the same thing, parking close behind her. She heard the other vehicles car door slam and realized how stupid she had been. She went for the glove compartment where Daryl had stashed a gun but something had happened and she hadn't been able to grab it. She knew how to use it. Between Daryl and Damon she could hit a moving target with her eyes closed.

But what had happened?

She strained her ears but all she could hear was her pulse. Other than that there was only silence. An oppressive silence that she thought would drive her mad. She brought her hand up to the back of her head and grimaced when her fingers came away wet and warm.

"Okay, Sophia," she said quietly to the empty room. "What in the hell happened to you out there and where are you now?"

The sound of her own voice only unnerved her further but other things were starting to come into focus. She smelled something damp, like mold or mildew and then realized that this smelled almost like their basement. The cold, the dark, the concrete floor, the smell. She was in a basement. But why would she be in a basement, with an injured head?

She swallowed hard and winced because her throat felt dry. Her pulse quickened as she tried to stand up. Even in the dark she could feel the room spinning and was sure that she was going to fall flat on her face. With arms outstretched she took a few tentative steps until the palms of her hand met with a damp cold wall. She put her back to it and tried to will her heart to slow down but it was no use. Someone had hurt her. She knew that much, she just didn't know why, or how. It would come back to her though. She had been kidnapped. She felt ridiculous for even thinking the word but it was the only explanation. But who would have...

"Ed?" She spat the name and it left a vile taste in her mouth.

She didn't remember seeing Ed, though. She couldn't think of anyone that would do this. She didn't bother anyone...

The truck in the road. Someone had gotten out of the truck that was parked in the road. It hadn't been Ed, though. It had been someone else that was vaguely familiar. Someone that she had seen, more than once, but couldn't place the name. All she knew was the look on his face had been almost unsure, and then everything had gone black. The car behind her. Whoever was in the car behind her had been approaching her as she watched the person leave the truck.

Just in case these people were careless she checked her pocket for her phone but it was gone. She felt tears sting her eyes. She didn't understand why anyone would want to do this to her and she was terrified of what was going to happen to her. She didn't dare cry out for help. Whoever had taken her probably still thought that she was knocked out. She needed to find some kind of weapon, even though she felt weak and lethargic, maybe from blood loss, and wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight, she still had to try.

She was a Dixon now. She would fight with everything she had in her. Or she would die trying. She whimpered at the thought and then took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She would be okay. She was smart and she had lived her whole life avoiding danger. She would get herself out of this. And she knew that her family would tear hell apart to find her once they realized that something had happened.


	69. Chapter 69

**Hope you all had fun this weekend! Thank you for reading!**

 **Chapter Sixty Nine**

After pulling up behind Damon's car, parked on the opposite side of the road as Sophia's, Daryl nearly ripped his door off in his haste. He knew where she was, or where her phone was anyway and he knew he needed to get there. This was all because of him and he would face it head on. He still didn't understand how it was happening, or even why, but it was.

Damon hopped off the hood of his own car and approached him, his eyes on fire. "The driver's door was open, so was the glove box. The gun's still in it."

Daryl leaned into the car, flashlight in hand. He scanned the floorboards, the dash, the seats, looking for a message from whoever had taken her. He didn't find one. Not until he pulled his hand away from the headrest. It was sticky and he shined the light on it. There was a fist sized smear of blood there, drying but still tacky. There was the message. And that was when it happened.

Anguish tore at his chest, clawing it's way up his throat as he remembered the things he had seen as a child. Things no boy should ever bear witness too. Things that could very well be happening to a girl that had become his own in the short amount of time he had known her. As those vicious images flashed through his mind the anguish morphed into something different, something he could barely wrap his mind around. A feeling that scared him to death and calmed him all at once. A cold wave of icy rage surged through him then, carrying away that pain on a dark current and replacing it with a seething squirming hatred that had his vision tinting red.

He was going to find her. He was going to find her alive. And he would chew through anyone standing in his way with his bare teeth if he had to. But he would get her back. She wouldn't end up like his mama had.

"Is that..." Damon's voice trailed off.

"Blood," Daryl said, his voice an emotionless growl even to his own ears. He watched as the boy's face grew even more pale, a haunted look clouding his dark eyes. He didn't want to involve a seventeen year old in this. He didn't want to, but he wouldn't tell the boy no. "You take her car and follow me."

"Follow you? Where the fuck are we going? We don't even know where the hell she is!"

"Calm down," he growled. "I know where she is. We gotta get to the garage and then get to her. They're waitin'."

"What? How the hell- We need to get in touch with the others. We can't just-"

"Get in the fuckin car!" Daryl snapped as he climbed into his own. He didn't have to tell Damon again. The truth was, he couldn't call anyone else. If they all showed up, she'd be dead before he could get to her and he knew it. Right now, the men that had her didn't know that he knew exactly where she was. If he did this quietly, there was a chance they could save her.

~H~

Carol's eyes snapped open as a strange pain woke her out of a dead sleep. It was deep and sharp and she gasped at the suddenness of it. She hadn't gotten the shot. The contractions had tapered off on their own but this didn't feel like a contraction. This was different. She glanced at the clock and saw that she had only been asleep for an hour.

"You okay?" Merle asked.

She glanced over, surprised that he was still there. "I think so," she said with a frown.

He scooted up to the edge of the seat, his eyes narrowed. "You look pretty pale. You sure you feel okay? I know that look, remember? Something's up."

"I don't know."

"You hurtin'? You got that shot so the little dude should be resettled, right?"

She shrugged. "They didn't give me the shot because I stopped having contractions. I don't think it was a contraction though. It was something else."

"I'm gonna go get the damn doctor," he said, standing up quickly.

"No!" she said quickly, grabbing his hand.

He looked down at her with that hard look that usually had other people backing down. She wasn't other people. She was Carol and she didn't back down from anyone anymore. She held his gaze and finally he sat back down but didn't let go of her hand. "You're the most stubborn goddamn woman I've ever seen in my life," he growled.

She smiled but then gasped as that same strange pain his her.

He yanked his hand out of hers then and stood up, running a hand through his short cropped hair. "What the fuck. If you don't let me get the damn doctor then use your little button thing and get a nurse in here."

She wasn't in the mood to argue with him over it now. One thing about pregnancy was that you got used to odd pains. This was more than just an odd pain. It sent warning signals in her mind that this needed to be addressed. If it had only happened once then that was okay but it was happening again and it wasn't easing up this time. She reached for the button and then she felt it. "Oh my God..."

"What?" Merle barked, his eyes growing frantic at the look that must have been on her face.

"My water just broke," she said, her hand going to her stomach.

"Oh God... No. Not yet. Not right now for fucks sake. Daryl ain't here. I'm here. I don't wanna be the only one here."

She pushed the button as hard as she could like the nurse would be able to tell just from the force of the push that this wasn't just Carol needing an extra pillow or a cup of ice.

Merle looked like he was about to pass out and she hoped that Daryl got here fast. She was regretting urging him to leave in the first place.

"Call your brother," she said from between clenched teeth as another pain hit her hard.

~H~

Sophia was fully aware of her surroundings now. She was in a room that was about fifteen by fifteen. There were no windows and the door was nothing but a piece of steel fitted into the cement wall. There was no handle, no key hole, no escape. There was also nothing that could be used as a weapon. There was no furniture and nothing adorned the walls that she could tell. Not even a nail that she could use to poke someone with.

She wanted to curl up in the corner and cry. That would have been the easiest thing to do. But she didn't have that option. She was tougher than that. No, she wasn't as tough as Piper but she was tougher than she ever had been before. The throbbing in her head had subsided to a dull ache and as far as she could tell she wasn't bleeding anymore. After making her rounds, figuring out her new environment she had to keep swallowing down her fear. She found a wet spot in the floor, sticky with blood, and realized that was where she had been lying on the floor. The puddle wasn't that big but it was bigger than she expected.

The sound of footsteps above her head had her looking up. She could hear the sounds of men talking but she couldn't make out what they were saying. The floor creaked above her and then she heard a banging somewhere beyond her door. It sounded like another door hitting a wall. She fought back the urge to cry once more and willed her hands to stop shaking. Heavy footsteps sounded outside the door and she backed herself against the far wall. She wasn't sure what to expect. She knew that there was more than one man there because she had heard two distinct voices, maybe more. She didn't know what they wanted with her. She didn't have any money so it hadn't been a robbery. The only thing of any value she owned was the car and they could have easily knocked her out and taken that. They hadn't had to take her. This left only one thing and it made her flood freeze in her veins.

The door was flung open and she felt like a caged animal. Not the kind that attacked out of fear either but the other kind. The kind that got scared and pissed themselves. There were three men standing in the doorway, the light hanging behind them making them look like faceless monsters ready to pounce on her.

One of them must have hit the light switch on the outside of the room because suddenly there was a bare bulb shining dim yellow light over the grimy floor and walls. She didn't want to look at them but she forced her head up and met the eyes of a man she had never even seen before and forced air into her lungs even though they were being constricted with steel bands of fear. "Who are you and why the hell did you bring me here?" She asked, forcing volume into her voice, summoning her inner Piper.

The first man sighed sadly and shook his head. "Well, sweetheart. You're just unlucky. What I wanted was your daddy but he's a little untouchable. So we were gonna take your mama but she's never alone. So we started watching you."

The man wasn't talking about Ed and she knew it. "I don't think you understand what kind of trouble you're in. You might as well just let me go and nothing will happen to you." She watched as the man laughed and shook his head.

She realized then that his clothes were similar to what Daryl and Merle and the rest of the club members wore. A black leather vest with club patches sewn on, but the patches were different. This wasn't her club. She looked past the first man and saw another man that she didn't know but the third, the one that hung back a little further than the others, she recognized. He was wearing the same type of clothing as the others, and he was familiar. She couldn't place him but she knew that she had seen him before.

"What's this about?" She asked.

The first man, the one that seemed to be the leader in this, smiled. "You know, I didn't ever really believe I would be able to get back at that crazy son of a bitch for what he did to us. I really didn't. But somethin' tells me that when he finds out what happened to his little girl, he's gonna know the kind of pain that we know. Daryl Dixon," he spat the name like venom, "He's a taker. He takes and he takes and he takes and nothin', nothing ever fucking happens to him for it. He's been doin' it since he was a kid. How much do you know about him, little girl? Has he told you about the people him and his fuck face daddy have killed?"

She shook her head and tried to move further into the wall but she couldn't. The man's eyes had taken on a dangerous glint. She looked to the other men to see if they looked like maybe they would take pity on her but she realized quickly that wasn't the case. Even the one that had hung back was now closer, his eyes hard. And then she recognized him. He was one of the men that had showed up at Buck's that day. This was someone related to Dave. But those guys hadn't showed their faces after that day they had come to the house. Was this really just about Dave?"

"No, I bet you don't know shit. But you will. You'll know who to blame when you're so strung out you can't think straight and some pimp is lining men up outside your door."

"What?" She choked, shivering but not from the cold anymore.

The man took a step closer. "You've already been bought and paid for. The highest bidder is driving down from Atlanta as we speak."

Sophia had no idea what this man was talking about. Was he really trying to say that he had _sold_ her? She was a human being! She wasn't up for sale. "I don't understand."

"Oh, you will. And when we start sending the Dixons pictures of what you've turned into, the whole family will be out for blood. They'll get sloppy. And then we're going to pic them off one at a time. That includes that pretty mama of yours. Unless I decide to keep her for myself."

Sophia thought that she was going to throw up. She didn't know what the hell they were talking about and she wasn't sure how much time she had. How long would it take for Daryl to find her?

"You wanna meet the man that gave us the idea to begin with? Another man that had things taken by the Dixons?"

She wanted to look away because she knew, knew in her gut who she was about to see. Her stomach twisted when the man stepped through the door, his cold eyes regarding her much like they did her whole life.

Ed grinned triumphantly.


	70. Chapter 70

**I'm kind of sad. In about a week, this story will be over. I'm going to miss posting for this. I really hope I have another story finished before this one is over. Anyway, thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Seventy**

Carol glared up at Merle as the nurses bustled around the room. "What the hell do you mean he isn't answering?"

Merle's eyes flicked to the door. "I got a hold of everybody else," he said lamely.

Her heart sank and all of her fears came flooding to the surface. This was just too much for him. She knew that there was something terribly wrong and that was why she had sent him away. She thought he needed to just take a breather and calm down. But it had been too much time already. He wasn't here and he wasn't answering anyone's calls.

"Stop," Merle snapped. "He'll be here. Last thing you told him was that everything was alright, right? He might have fallen asleep or he could be out at the garage with Randy. Just stop thinking what the hell you're thinking. It ain't right for you to think that shit and you know it. He deserves better than that."

She let his words sooth her but she saw it even in his eyes. There was something wrong. "If you know something, just tell me, Merle. I was letting it slide but I knew there was something going on with him when he left and I know that you know exactly what it is."

He shook his head, his expression grim. "Look, one thing at a time, alright? You're about to have a kid. Have the kid. After that, I'll tell you what you need to know."

"You'll tell me now!" She yelled, grimacing in pain. "Now," she said in a quieter voice. All of the nurses stopped to stare at her but she was beyond caring at the moment.

He sat down in the chair, rubbing his face with his hands before he finally looked at her. "Okay," he said. "Sophia wasn't answerin' her phone."

She nodded, refusing to let herself panic just yet.

"Damon found her car on the side of the road but she wasn't in it. That's all I know. I ain't been able to get a hold of him since."

Carol tried to sit up but a nurse gently pushed her back down with a hand on her shoulder. She felt her throat go dry. "Something happened to my daughter and you weren't going to tell me? What in the hell is wrong with you?" She breathed.

Merle shook his head. "Daryl is gonna find her. He'll figure out what's goin' on and he'll bring her here. You gotta believe that."

"Ed," she gasped. "He's probably been waiting for a chance to get us back for what we did. He could have taken her anywhere, Merle."

He grabbed her hand, squeezing hard and bringing her focus onto him. "Daryl is gonna find her."

Carol was about to say something but she was interrupted. "Mrs. Dixon?"

She looked up, her heart thundering in her chest and her hands shaking. It was her Doctor and if he was here it could only mean one thing. "Yes?"

"Would it be possible to talk to you alone for a few moments. It seems like things have progressed and we need to go over your options."

"What?" She blinked, unable to follow what he was saying when all she could think about was her daughter.

"We need to go through your options."

She looked at Merle but he was staring at the doctor, his face hard. "You can talk about options with me here. I ain't goin' no where."

"Merle, just go try to call him again, okay? It's okay," she managed, even though nothing was okay. She was about to have a baby, the father was gone and her daughter was missing and there wasn't anything she could do about it.

~H~

Some men had no concept of morals. Daryl wasn't one of those men. He knew the difference in right and wrong and even though he had usually walked a fine line between the two, he knew the difference. The line of morality that he walked now was much more broad than it had been a year ago. He knew that his actions effected those around him. He knew that he had to put the happiness and wants of other people before his own. But some men didn't know what it was like to care about someone other than themselves.

Daryl was going to kill people tonight. He was probably going to make it as painful as possible. But he still had a firm grip on his morals.

The men that had taken Sophia didn't walk a line between moral and immoral actions. They were self serving. They hid under the guise of revenge to inflict pain on others. Daryl didn't have to hide under a goddamn thing. He didn't have to go searching for excuses to kill. He had to be driven to that point. And that was okay with him. He wasn't going to lose any sleep over what he had to do. He would sleep just fine.

The only thing he felt remotely guilty about was letting Damon get himself mixed up in all of this. So far, the kid had never had to spill blood. But Daryl knew there was no turning back for him now. Daryl didn't give a fuck how young Damon and Sophia were, he knew those two kids loved each other. Daryl knew that if it was Carol in this position, it would take hells entire army to keep him away. So he would let the boy do what he needed to do. Besides, killing was a way of life for some of them. The cold truth was, some lives mattered more than others did. Sophia's life mattered more than the men that had taken her. She did to him and Damon anyway, so those men needed to be taken down.

He frowned when he went to unlock the garage door, just to find out that it was already unlocked. He hadn't seen any vehicles in the parking lot or parked out front. He pulled the gun he had tucked into the waistband of his jeans and opened the door slowly. The sound of music floated out from further in the room and then he spotted Randy's boots sticking out from under a 1947 Plymouth Coupe Woody that he'd been working on for the past few weeks. Buck already had a buyer that was willing to fork over almost one hundred grand for the thing so they were working hard.

Damon joined him, not even stopping before he headed to the wall where the guns were stored. Randy slid out from under the car, looked at Damon and then at Daryl and then jumped to his feet, wiping his hands on a rag that he seemed to pull out of thin air. Daryl moved quickly, taking whatever guns that Damon handed him. All of them were purchased illegally, all of them fully automatic.

"The hell are you two planning? A massacre?" Randy asked, leaning against the wall and watching Damon and Daryl gather everything up.

Daryl nodded. "Sophia's been taken. You feel like taking a trip to the past?"

Randy frowned but he grabbed a gun himself. "What are you talkin' about, boy?"

Daryl started grabbing boxes of ammo. "Remember that old clubhouse right outside of Comer? The one Buck went and tore all to shit?"

Randy's one eye went hard and he nodded, his lips forming a thin line. "That where she is?"

Daryl nodded. He hoped that was where she was anyway. If not then that was where they had left her phone and then they moved on with her. If that was the case it would take him a long time to find her. He didn't have time. He didn't know what they were doing to her and it was hard for him to keep his mind from going there.

"Last we heard of those fella's they were just a little group of wannabe assholes. They don't have any pull because they never had a foundation. Buck destroyed that group. What the hell are they doing pulling some shit like this?"

Daryl led them out to the car and they climbed in. "Revenge. I don't know. It don't make any damn sense. What happened to them happened a long time ago. I thought all the bad ones were dead. All that was left was a name of a club with no members. What I'm worried about though, what I can't get outta my head is, what if that club Dave's cousins came from joined forces? What if they decided it was high time we paid for taking them all out."

"But why the girl? And why now? All those years ago and now they make their move? That club Dave was affiliated with ain't shit. They don't have numbers like us."

Daryl shook his head. "I don't know. I don't care. I just gotta get her back and they better hope to God they haven't touched her."

Damon made a strangled sound in the back seat. "Jesus Christ, don't say that."

Daryl glanced up in the mirror, his stomach turning. "We don't know what's goin' on. You be prepared to find her in a heap of trouble, boy. The important thing is, you keep your head. You go in their half cocked then you'll end up dead."

Daryl saw Randy shake his head and make a disgusted sound in the back of his throat. He didn't want the man involved. If it was up to him it would just be him going out there. But he knew there would be no talking them into sitting this out. Ever since the night those men stormed his house and done what they had done to his mom, Randy had been a brother to Buck. He had lost his own brother, and his eye, when he had tried to save them and now he was going to stand by Daryl and walk right into the lions den.

But that was the thing about men like Daryl and Randy. Like Buck and Merle and Damon. They were capable of committing great acts of violence, sure, but strangely, they did it out of love and loyalty. This group that had taken Sophia had no idea what Daryl was capable of. What any of them were capable of. They probably thought they knew but they couldn't. If they did they never would have risked this.


	71. Chapter 71

**Moving right along here. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!**

 **And just a heads up, for you AU Caryl fans out there that's itching for a new story to read, sweetkiwi604 is writing a multi chapter AU called Madness Takes Control. I read the first chapter and you know me. I don't do a lot of reading anymore, but it's awesome and any SPN fans out there will especially love it, even though it isn't a crossover. Anyway, check it out! She's an awesome writer and a super sweet chick =) Spread the love around, you know! Anyway, again, thanks for reading and hope you guys had a fantastic Monday! I know I didn't ;)**

 **Chapter Seventy One**

Ed didn't stick around. He came in simply to let her know that he had helped these men and then had stepped out like the coward she knew he was. She knew she was in serious trouble. The man was a vile bastard and told her exactly what it was that was coming to her. She had tried to hold them back but tears had started leaking from her eyes the more the man talked. He explained that he was a member of a different kind of club than her families. All she knew, from what she had heard was that Buck and the others dealt in the illegal gun trade. She knew nothing else. But this other club dealt in drugs and women.

They sold women.

She learned that it was easy. They took girls off the streets. Sometimes they were girls that were pretty much strung out anyway and would do anything for another hit of whatever drug they were on. But these girls didn't bring in as much money because most of them were already used up. They weren't worth as much as the more wholesome ones. They would take other girls, girls that were like Sophia, and feed them heroine. They turned them into addicts and then they "sampled" them before putting them up for bid. Sophia was a special case. Someone had already bought her and was on his way right now to pick her up.

"He could just wanna use you up for a while before he kills you," the man explained. The other two had left the room when Ed did.

She didn't say a word. She simply wiped her eyes and stayed very still.

"Or he might have clients of his own lined up. You know you could be subjected to ten, fifteen different men a day?"

She felt her gorge rising in the back of her throat. She didn't bother telling the creep that she was a virgin since that would probably just make her that much more expensive. Instead of gagging, like she wanted to do, she decided to keep the man talking because if he was talking then he wasn't touching her and she was still terrified that this unhinged man was going to touch her. "Do you really think Daryl is stupid enough to fall for any of this?"

The man laughed, causing her to flinch. It was an ugly sound. "Yeah, actually, I do. Daryl is stupid enough. He doesn't think. He acts. He's always been like that. And don't hold him up as some sort of hero. He isn't. You probably don't know half of what that man's done."

"What could he have done that would make you think that doing this to me is okay?" She snapped, feeling anger flash through her. Good. Anger was good because it felt better than the terror that threatened to have her curling up on the floor.

"He killed my dad. Buck Dixon took him out with him and he let Daryl kill my dad. He was a kid but he knew what he was doing. How would you feel towards a psychopath like that? You'd do whatever you could to get back at the son of bitch that did it. If not then you're stupid and you're weak."

Sophia shook her head. "He wouldn't do something like that. Buck wouldn't either."

He laughed. "Is that right? You don't know the half of it. And you probably wouldn't care because you're just as fucked up as the rest of them aren't you? As soon as Dave Henderson's family got in touch with us I knew it was time to do something about the Dixons. What they do ain't right," he yelled, causing her to flinch.

"Daryl wouldn't have done it unless he had a reason to do it," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. This was a mistake. He crossed the room and slapped her across the face so quickly that her head snapped to the side.

"They lied. They lied and said that my dad did all sorts of things to Daryl's mom and they killed him for it! And you know the worst part? The worst part is, my own mom believed them. She thought all those lies were true and she ended up killing herself! The Dixons take and take and it's time. It's time for somebody to take from them."

Sophia tasted blood in her mouth and wanted to spit but she didn't dare. The force of the blow had her head wound scraping painfully against the concrete she was pressed against and she could feel fresh blood on the back of her neck. She didn't believe anything this man was telling her. If Daryl and Buck killed his father it was because his father had been the one that killed Daryl's mother. She didn't know the details of what happened because no one would talk about it. All Sophia knew was that she had been killed when Daryl was nine years old.

The door opened and another man, unfamiliar to her, stepped inside. "What the hell are you doing?" He snapped, closing the door.

The guy that had hit her stepped away from her. "She was running her mouth."

"Baker wants her untouched. We hand her over with her face all messed up and he isn't gonna pay full price," the new man said as he approached her. He reached out and turned her head gently, his thumb sliding over her cheek. She refused to look at his face. He stepped away and she was glad. "Bring Tyler down here. I can trust him."

"No, you can't. He didn't want to be involved in any of this!" The man that had slapped her said angrily.

"Yeah, well, you obviously can't control yourself." Both men left the room and she nearly sagged in relief. Her headache was coming back and her face stung and she was starting to realize that there was little hope for her to get out of this. Even if she was strong enough to fight all of them before, she was too weak now. She had lost blood, was only losing more, and she already felt dizzy with fear. She had been sold like a piece of meat. She was going to have to endure losing her virginity to a stranger who would just rape her if she didn't cooperate. She started feeling a cold numbness in her chest.

When the door opened again she was sitting on the floor but her back was still to the wall. She hadn't even realized she had slid down. She glanced up, dread filling her at the thought of having to deal with some new stranger. When she saw his face she blinked.

He was young. Maybe a few years older than her and she knew that she knew him. She couldn't place him but she knew she had met him before. He shut the door behind him, avoiding her eyes for a moment before he finally looked at her. He frowned and took a few steps closer. "Son of a bitch," he muttered, looking her over. To her horror he pulled his shirt over his head.

She was filled with panic and leaned heavily into the wall to pull herself up off the floor. Why the hell was this guy taking off his shirt if he wasn't planning on doing something to her? "You keep your hands off me or I swear to God..."

He held up his hands, his shirt clenched tightly in his fist. "I ain't gonna hurt you, I swear. There's blood on the wall from your head, I'm just gonna stop the bleeding, okay?"

She watched him, trying hard to figure out where the hell she knew him from. "I know you," she said, her voice cracking.

He nodded and crossed the room. "Yeah, you kinda do. Let me put some pressure on that cut so it'll stop bleeding, okay?"

She swallowed but didn't move. He gripped her elbow gently and pulled her a few inches away from the wall, just enough so he could get his shirt behind her head.

"Here, hold it there for a few minutes. It ain't really nothing to be too worried about. Head wounds bleed like a bitch."

"Where do I know you?"

"I've seen you a couple of times. You drank a bunch of my beer one time when you were pissed at your boyfriend. Tyler," he said, crossing the small room and then actually sitting down on the floor against the wall across from her.

She gasped as she remembered. He had seemed nice but as soon as she had mentioned that Damon was her boyfriend he had forced her away so he wouldn't end up fighting him. "Why are you here? Why the hell would you let them do this to someone?"

He shook his head. "My brother brought me here. Why the hell couldn't you have just stayed with your goddamn friends? I didn't want any part of this."

"Who's your brother?" She asked, holding his shirt against her head and sitting back down. She felt like she had ran for a very long time. Her legs were weak and she was shivering again.

"The guy that apparently slapped the hell out of you."

She felt a flash of fear. If that was Tyler's brother then he must have had the same Dixon hate. She remembered how he had been adamant about not having anything to do with Damon. But why was he offering to help her? At least help her stop the bleeding in her head. "So, you hate my family too then?"

He met her eyes and she could have sworn that she saw remorse there. They stared at each other for a long time before he slowly shook his head. "You think I asked for this shit? I know what my dad did to that woman. I know what they all did. My brother don't believe it but I'm not stupid. I don't want any part of this shit but I don't have a choice."

She refused to feel sorry for him, even though she wanted to. "But you know what's going to happen to me and you aren't going to do a damn thing about it. You are a part of this."

He pulled his legs up and draped his arms over them, shaking his head. "There's fifteen fucking club members up there. What the hell am I suppose to do? I tried to talk them out of this but I'm one guy."

"You could have warned us that they were planning this in the first place."

"And get my brother killed?" He shook his head. "Besides, I didn't know anything about it until tonight."

She felt her eyes grow hard. "You think for a minute that they won't kill you all for this? You're putting nails in your coffin!"

A strange look came over his face. "You think I give a damn?"

She blinked. "What's that suppose to mean?"

He looked away, his head falling back slightly, leaning against the cold wall. "Do you have any idea how long he's dragged me around? How long he's been waiting until he was sure that he could hit the Dixon's where it really hurts? I'm tired."

"How old are you?" She asked suddenly.

"Turned twenty last week, why?"

"Why didn't you just try to get away when you turned eighteen?" She asked. She asked the question because she was genuinely curious but also because she knew that if she had a snowball's chance in hell of getting out of this place then he was the one that was going to be able to help her do it.

He sighed. "You're so fucking naive, kid. You don't just get away from this shit. You deal with it until it finally gets you killed."

"Help me get out of here. Please," she whispered after a long silence.

"I want to," he said, pulling himself up off the floor. "I swear I do."

"Then do it! Get me the hell out of here and then leave. Go start over somewhere! You aren't a bad guy you've just been sucked into bad situations. I'll even help you once we're out but you're my only hope."

He shook his head, his eyes defeated. Sophia was finding it hard to feel sorry for him now. She was feeling disgusted. Even her mom had gotten out of a bad situation eventually. She'd always held onto hope that she would leave Ed and finally she did. Tyler didn't seem as though he had any will to do anything at all. He would do what his brother told him to do. And she was going to be the one to pay the price for his cowardice.

She was about to tell him as much when out of nowhere, there was an explosion that shook the walls.

Suddenly there was a commotion upstairs that had them both looking up. The sound of many feet running in the same direction sounded above them. She looked back down, meeting his eyes and a feeling of relief washing through her. Somehow, Daryl was here. She didn't know how. She had no idea how he could have found her when she didn't even know where she was, but he was here.

"Looks like maybe you got yourself a get out of jail free card," he said, a measure of relief in his eyes.

Sophia didn't dare say a word for fear of jinxing this.


	72. Chapter 72

**Chapter Seventy Two**

Daryl parked a quarter mile away, down an old hunting road so no passersby would spot the car. He pulled the gun from the small of his back and took the silencer that Randy handed him. He didn't know how many people they were going to have to get through to get to the girl and at the moment he was at a place in his mind that had him not caring how many people he had to get through. He would pick off as many as he could from a distance and then he would storm the place.

"I don't wanna shoot them," Damon said, taking the prepared gun from Daryl.

Daryl nodded. He didn't either if he was being honest with himself. He wanted to get his hands dirty. That roiling rage still filled him but it was set to a simmer now, keeping him strangely calm, but still very deadly. The last time he had felt this way he had been a boy. He refused to think about anything other than getting Sophia back because he couldn't risk messing this up. He couldn't risk getting her or himself killed. So he only thought about the mission before him.

Far off in the distance a thread of lightening split the sky in a brilliant display. Daryl barely noticed. "You see headlights, hear an engine, hit the ditch. Don't think for a minute that these dumb fucks ain't armed and won't run us down."

Randy sidled up next to him as they walked towards the old building. "What the hell is goin' on, boy? All those sons of bitches were killed off. Who the hell was left to have a vendetta this damn heavy? I just can't figure it out."

Daryl glanced at him. "I don't know. Buck got all of them. I know for a fact none of them would have been left breathin'. I pointed them out and he made the hits. 'Cept for that last one, of course. That one was mine."

Randy shook his head but wisely kept his opinions to himself. Daryl knew that he had never agreed with what Buck had done back then but he had never voiced it. That was the one and only dark mark against the man as far as the club was concerned but Daryl didn't see it that way. Those men hadn't been forced to watch what Daryl had. He needed to kill the man and it didn't matter how old he was. He was better for having done it. People couldn't wrap their minds around that. People didn't need too. That was between Buck, himself and a dead man.

When the building, which used to be a farmers supply store, came into view the threesome slowed and followed the tree line, sticking to the heavier shadows. There were two men lounging outside of the front entrance.

"How do we know she's here?" Randy asked quietly.

Daryl nodded towards the building. "Even if she ain't here, this is where her phone is. She's either been here or these are the fucker's that took her." With cold calculation he lined one of the men up in his sites but then dropped the gun back to his side. "Sacrificin' accuracy for quiet. I need to make this shot." He met Randy's eyes in the dark, giving him a meaningful look. "You two go ahead and circle round to the back. I'll move a little closer and when I'm in I'll give you a sign. Take out anybody on guard back there."

Randy nodded, knowing what was really going on. Daryl wasn't about to make Damon sit this out but he was going to do everything he could to keep him away. He didn't want the boy killing anyone, no matter how ready he was. There wouldn't be anyone guarding the back because these men had no idea that Daryl could have tracked Sophia so quickly. He wasn't sure why there were men stationed out front but they wouldn't be there for long.

He waited for Randy and Damon to creep around the side towards the back before he moved closer to the building. He stopped, hunkering down when headlights sliced through the night. He frowned when he took in the car. It was a brand new BMW 3, glossy black and for some reason, chilling in it's appearance. Lightning flashed as the driver's door opened and a tall man stepped out. He was dressed in a dark suit, and even from here Daryl could tell that he looked on the other men with disdain.

Realization dawned on him then. He had heard about other clubs doing this and even as the thought sent a cold rage through him, he was relieved. Sophia was probably untouched because she was now the property of the owner of the BMW and when men like this bought and paid for girls, they wanted them as pristine as possible. So she hadn't been raped and she hadn't been killed. She had been sold. He glared and then turned his head, spitting. There was a foul taste in his mouth.

This was just further confirmation that evil came in all shapes and forms. Daryl didn't consider himself an evil man. Other people would argue that fact but he would never do anything like what these men were doing. What he wanted to do was walk up on all three of them and put a bullet in their brains. But that didn't make him evil. That would make him careless. He had wanted to take out the doormen and then wait and figure out how to proceed inside. He didn't know how many people were in there so he had to be careful. He'd never been careful before and he was finding it hard to do now. But he had to stay alive. He couldn't be careless. If he was going to bring them down he would have to do it fast. If one of them got inside before he could get off all three shots then that was only going to put Sophia in danger. He couldn't risk it.

He cursed for sending Damon and Randy around to the back because if all three of them were able to take aim then all three men would be down without a hitch, and the men inside would be none the wiser. But he had to wait them out now. He watched as the three men stepped inside, shutting the door behind them and then he scurried out from behind the foliage he had been hiding behind. There were windows towards the front but very little light shown through. They were dirty but here and there he could see a brighter glow where someone had rubbed the dust away to look outside. As far as he knew this place hadn't been used since Buck had stormed it all those years ago.

There was little light outside the building and the storm seemed to be blowing in quickly, bringing with it a chill that was more seasonable than the warmth they all enjoyed earlier in the day and blocking out the meager light from the stars. He crept to the window and looked through one of the cleaner panes, cursing under his breath when he saw at least fifteen men. There was no sign of Sophia and he wasn't sure if that was a good sign or a bad one.

He went around to the back, cautiously checking to make sure he had been right when he guessed there wouldn't be anyone out there guarding that door. He didn't spot Damon or Randy until they were walking towards him.

He met them halfway and urged them back towards the woods. Once they were concealed he glanced back at the building. "There's a BMW out front. It's parked close to an old Ranger. Tear off your shirt sleeve, stuff it in the gas tank and light it up."

He nodded. "Then what?"

"Then haul ass. Me and Randy can slip in the back while their attention is on the flamin' truck in the front."

Damon shook his head. "What? You can't make me sit this out!" He snapped angrily.

"Boy, didn't I just tell you to go blow up a goddamn car? You got your job, let me go do mine."

Damon glared but finally he did what Daryl told him to do.

He would have told him to blow up the BMW but it would have been harder to do. Daryl and Randy stood, one on each side of the door, and waited in silence. If anyone came out the back then they'd pose little threat. They could take them down before they ever knew what was really going on. He didn't expect anyone to come this way though. All of the commotion would be outside the front doors and these assholes weren't smart enough to instantly think that it would be a diversion.

Thunder rolled lazily in the distance and time seemed to slow to a crawl. He had the urge to check his phone to make sure that Carol was okay but he shook the thought. The nurse told him everything was fine and Carol had told him the same thing. Merle was with her and she was probably sleeping. He swallowed and then his focus went back to the door.

"It's takin' him too long," Randy whispered harshly. "One of us should go around and check it out."

"Give me some credit old man."

They both looked up and saw Damon creeping towards them from behind. Daryl glared. "Get your ass back. You ain't goin' inside."

Damon shook his head. "Not a chance."

Daryl wanted to punch the stubborn boy right in the face. "If anybody gets past us are you willin' to let them run? Somebody needs to watch the doors." It was flimsy but at least it gave the kid something to focus on. If he thought he would get to take out any strays then maybe he would stay outside.

Damon shook his head again but Daryl saw the indecision in his eyes. He took a step backwards, towards the relative safety of the trees and Daryl felt a measure of relief. That was when the flame must have finally reached the tank of the Ranger because the quiet night was shattered by an explosion that startled even Daryl, who had been expecting it.

~H~

Carol was almost certain Merle was going to pass out when the doctor started explaining what to expect with a Cesarean delivery.

"Why the hell can't she just push him out like a normal person?" Merle choked.

The doctor eyed him, his lips twitching but his face otherwise remaining cool and professional. "Because her body isn't cooperating and neither is the baby. Her cervix isn't softening and he isn't willing to wait."

Merle made a face but didn't say anything else, probably for fear the man would mention a cervix again.

"Why don't you go out there and try to call Daryl again," Carol said quickly, needing to know that Sophia was okay.

Merle just shook his head. "He'll call when he's able."

The doctor looked at them and then nodded. "Well, lets hope he does that within the hour. Right now the baby's heartbeat is strong but he's under stress. The longer we wait, the more dangerous this gets, okay?"

Carol nodded. "As long as he's okay now."

With that the doctor left them alone. Merle looked like he wanted out of the room now but he let her cling to his hand like it was a lifeline to her sanity. "Stop worryin' so much," he said, trying to put on a brave face. "Everything is fine. He'll be here and he'll have Sophia with him."

She felt tears sting her eyes again. "What if something's happened to both of them? What will I-"

"Don't," he said between clenched teeth. "Don't even think it. They're fine Everyone is fillin' me in on everything goin' on out there. Me and you need to worry about what's goin' on in here. Buck's on the phone with Shane now. Odin's trying to track them down. Other men are working their own channels. They'll be fine."

She nodded but her heart felt heavy. Had it really been just earlier in the day that she had everyone she loved under the same roof? It was jolting how quickly a person's world could be shattered. She didn't voice this, though. Merle had enough worries of his own and he was doing his best. She knew he wanted to be out there but he refused to leave her side. She was grateful for it. More than he would ever know.


	73. Chapter 73

**I was going over the last few chapters of this and realized that I completely left a loose end hanging. I'm talking, it was glaring at me. So I had to write another chapter to insert closer to the end. Lol That's happened to me a few times with this. I'm hoping I can find something else just so I can keep it going longer. I'm pathetic. Anyway, thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy the chapter! =)**

 **Chapter Seventy Three**

Sophia and Tyler stood up at the same time. He faced the door and then backed away from it, cursing under his breath.

"We should make a run for it now," she said, drawing his attention away from the door.

He shook his head. "We're locked in."

"They locked you in here too!"

"I ain't the most trustworthy they got. They wanted someone in here with you but they knew that I'd probably try to figure out a way to get you out. Looks like no good deed goes unpunished. I'm gonna get cut down by a fuckin' Dixon. It's like my family legacy or something. Jesus."

"No you wont," she said quickly, knowing that he didn't want any of this. Maybe she should have been more angry that he hadn't done anything to warn anyone about what his family had planned but really, all of this had been out of his control from the start. He didn't agree with his brother but she was sure he didn't want his brother gunned down by anyone and that would have happened if her family had been forewarned what their plans had been.

"Maybe I never believed what my brother said about what role my dad played in Daryl's mom getting killed, but one thing I know for a fact is that if you mess with them, they don't barge in asking questions. They either shoot, slash, or bludgeon, and _then_ they ask questions. I'm gonna need my shirt back. They come in here and one of us is topless it's only gonna hurt worse."

"They won't kill you. They aren't monsters," she snapped, feeling a rush of adrenalin at the prospect of getting out. Now all she had to do was worry about Daryl getting gunned down before he could get to her. But she had all the faith in the world that he wouldn't let that happen. She worried about everyone else too. They all must be freaked out by now. This wasn't good for her mom. She didn't need the stress. She handed the bloodied shirt back to Tyler, expecting him to change his mind about putting it on once he realized how much of her blood was on it but he just slipped it over his head like he didn't even notice. It was a dark gray color now mottled with large burgundy stains.

She didn't say anything and neither did he. They both stood there in heavy silence, staring up at the ceiling as they waited for something, anything at all, to happen.

~H~

Daryl counted to 20 in his head before he tried the back door. It was locked, just like he expected but just a few swift kicks had the door swinging open with a large crash as it bounced against the wall. The room was dark but empty and he wasted no time rushing towards the entrance to the front of the place. There was a small round window set high in a swinging door, leading to the large room where the others had been gathered. He looked through it and cursed. There were still at least ten people, including the well dressed bastard that had every intentions of taking Sophia tonight. He was thinking about going out of his way to save that one for last.

He still didn't see any sign of her and he still wasn't sure if this was a good sign or a bad one. He had to make sure he didn't kill them all just in case she wasn't here. They could have easily taken her somewhere else, stashing her until her buyer came by. This thought made him spit again. To think that someone he loved, someone that was so monumentally important to him, could be treated like she was some sort of _thing_. Like a stolen piece of jewelry that could be sold to the highest bidder and used in whatever way the bidder saw fit.

"What now?" Randy asked, willing to take Daryl's lead in this case even though he was older and far more experienced in situations like this.

Daryl watched as the men huddled together, talking and looking towards the door. "All of'em have their backs turned," he whispered. "We can slip in and get behind that counter there for cover and just take out as many as we can and hope the element of surprise keeps us alive. Save that asshole in the suit for later."

"Aye. Good thing I didn't let myself get rusty during this dry spell," Randy muttered.

Daryl nodded grimly. "You and me both, brother."

This time is was Randy who slipped in first. They ducked behind the counter for a few seconds. It pretty much proved how stupid these men were. Buck, or any of the other members would have made sure that all the doors were covered. But the stupider they were, the faster he would get Sophia the hell out of here. Him and Randy rose slowly, making sure to keep the counter between themselves and the men. Daryl managed to take out two and Randy hit three before the others realized what was happening and started scattering. There was another commotion outside as more men started running in. Daryl cursed under his breath as a bullet whizzed by his head.

He dropped back behind the counter, flinching at the cacophony of gunshots behind him. When he looked over he was horrified to see that Randy was holding his shoulder and there was blood flowing between his fingers. "Fuck," he growled.

Randy grinned because he was a crazy bastard. "Just a flesh wound, kid. Now what?"

All of a sudden there was a roar sounding from outside. It wasn't thunder. It wasn't rain. Daryl couldn't believe what he was hearing. The gunfire had stopped for the moment but the walls nearly shook with the sounds of all of the motorcycles that had just pulled up outside.

"I might have sent a text while me and the boy were waitin'. Not that I doubted you... Nah, that's a fuckin' lie. I doubted you," Randy winced as he tried to move.

"Fuck..." Daryl muttered. "I was just thinking that I should have done that myself. I just thought I needed to do this one on my own."

"Yeah, well, that was a dumb plan," Randy hissed between his teeth. He patted Daryl's leg affectionately.

Daryl shook his head. The bullets were no longer flying so he quickly crawled around Randy and then looked up over the counter. A shot rang out and he had to drop back down, cursing loudly. He stayed down as more gunfire sounded from outside. He could only hope that they didn't lose any men but the likelihood of their luck holding out like that was slim.

He listened carefully and when he heard the sound of the door being kicked in, he leaped up and over the counter, hoping Randy wasn't crazy enough to follow him. If he didn't go now, while they were distracted, then he would be trapped back there until it was over and he wasn't about to let the others possibly die because he had made a stupid call.

Buck was there, gun in hand but Daryl didn't waste any time staring at the man or even checking to see who had come in with him. He saw out of the corner of his eye, that someone had their gun trained right on Buck. Daryl dropped to his knees and got off two shots before he felt a mild sting in his upper arm. He cursed but was thankful that he had taken the hit in the arm and not the chest or the head.

He didn't glance at the wound because he already knew what had happened. He looked up just in time to see Buck put the muzzle to the shooter's head and pull the trigger. The chaos seemed to dissolve as quickly as it had started and the room grew strangely quiet. The men were out gunned and outnumbered and gave up quickly after they started dropping like flies. Now all he had to do was figure out where Sophia was. One of the reasons he didn't want a bunch of people involved was because if she was in another room in this building, which was likely, then she could possibly get hit by a stray bullet. But if the others hadn't came then they could all be dead so he was grateful.

"Don't you ever do anything this fuckin' stupid again. If you do I swear I'll beat you so bad you'll wish one of these bastards would have killed you," Buck growled.

"No time to listen to your shit, Buck. I still don't know where the hell Sophia is," he said, standing up and cradling his arm. Buck looked him over but it wasn't too bad. He'd only been grazed. It probably needed stitches but he would live.

"Where is she?"

Daryl looked up and saw Damon coming towards them. He should have known that the kid wouldn't have stayed out there. Daryl intercepted him, placing a hand on his chest. "You keep your head or you get your ass back outside, you got it?"

Damon followed as Daryl walked across the room, stepping over the dead and dying. The man in the suit was sitting in a chair that one of Buck's men had ordered him to, not looking as terrified as Daryl wanted him to look. The guy looked up, seeming more annoyed than anything else. "If you're two little groups are finished playing, I came here to do business. I'd like to take what I came for and be on my way. I don't have anything to do with whatever this is."

Daryl's hand itched to go for his gun but he didn't grab it. He wanted to watch this guy bleed. Instead he glanced up at Damon. "I need you to do me a favor."

Damon looked at him, nodding vaguely.

Daryl motioned towards the guy in the chair. "I want you to break this man's nose."

The man looked up sharply, his face paling. "Wha-"

Daryl didn't even flinch as Damon's fist connected with the man's face, the pop and crunch of the cartilage snapping in his nose was like music to his ears. He knelt down in front of the man and forced him to look at him. "Which one of these assholes did you do business with? Who put her up for sale?"

"Wait a minute, what the fuck are you talking about?" Damon snapped.

Daryl gave him a hard look. "Calm your nuts, kid."

The man pointed to another group that was being bound by Buck and a few others. "The one talking to the ogre over there."

Daryl met Damon's eyes. "Don't fuckin' touch him, you understand?"

Damon looked like he was either going to kill the man or throw up on his shiny shoes but he was holding it together so far so Daryl walked away, planning on finding out where the hell Sophia was so they could get out of this place. Carol was probably about to lose her mind worrying.

Before Daryl could even say anything to the man that was pointed out to him Buck was shoving a key into his hand and pointing to a door at the back of the room. "She's down there in the basement. There's one guy in the room with her but he isn't suppose to be any trouble."

Daryl met his eyes, not needing to ask the question he was dreading the answer to. Buck shook his head. "The creep wanted her clean. They haven't touched her."

The relief that washed through him then nearly brought him to his knees. He hadn't been one hundred percent positive she would even be here and he had convinced himself to expect the worst once he did finally find her. But she was here and she was safe. He told Damon to hold on while he checked something out. He didn't want the boy with him, just in case. He couldn't trust these people, even though at the moment he wanted to. He wanted to believe without a shadow of a doubt that she was okay. And if she wasn't okay, he would deal with it. He would deal with it by himself instead dragging the boy into it.

He spotted the door and scowled. It wasn't original. They had added this and it made him sick to imagine what they may have used it for. How many other girls had been brought here. Girls that didn't have people like Daryl to look after them. He shook the thought away. He had a responsibility to his family. He couldn't save them all. He twisted the key in the lock and nearly ripped the door off the hinges.

She was standing at the back of the grimy room, leaning heavily against the wall. The first thing he noticed was the mark across her face and then the blood on the floor in the center of the room which he was sure came from her. There was a guy standing a few feet away from her that didn't look much older than Damon. And Daryl didn't care. All he could think was someone had hurt her and someone needed to pay. He reached for the gun at the small of his back as his eyes locked onto the guy's but he didn't have a chance to do anything.

Sophia was pushing away from the wall and rushing towards him on unsteady legs. "Daryl, stop. He didn't do anything. He was trying to help me."

His eyes flicked to her right before she slammed into him. He wrapped his arms around her but the gun was in his hand. "If he was so fuckin' helpful then what happened to your face?" He asked, forcing himself not to squeeze her too to tight.

"It was his brother. It wasn't him. He wanted to get me out of here but there were too many of them. They locked him in here with me just to get him out of the way. Please," her hands went to his face, forcing him to look her in the eye. "He didn't want this."

Her eyes were huge, filled with tears and broke his heart in half. He nodded. "Okay. Whatever you say, alright."

She broke down then, huge shuddering sobs that shook her slender frame so hard that he couldn't have let go of her, even if he had wanted to. His hand went to the back of her head and she whimpered. He grimaced and moved his hand away. The boy in the corner stayed where he was, head down.

"We need to get you to the hospital. Get your head checked out. Your mama's already there," he said.

This got her to calm down a little. "She's there? Is something wrong?"

Daryl shook his head. "Nah. False labor or some shit. They just wanted to keep her there for observation. If she ain't been asleep then I bet she's about to rip my face off for not answering my phone." He looked up at the kid. "Get your ass upstairs. My dad will tell you what you need to do."

He held on to her with one arm and fished his phone out of his pocket. He turned it on and immediately it started going haywire with all of the missed calls and text messages. He looked down and read the first one and then dropped the phone on the floor. They had just made it to the top of the stairs. "Oh God... No, no, no. That ain't how this was suppose to happen..." He didn't realize he was talking out loud until Sophia was looking at him worriedly.

Damon and Buck showed up then and could tell by the look on his face that something was wrong. The first thing they both did was check Sophia over before she threw herself at Damon.

"I gotta go," he breathed. "Now."


	74. Chapter 74

**Hello! So, I've ran into a road block and may not be able to get online at home for a while after tonight. After this chapter there are only five left to go so I'll make sure that I make a trip to my sisters once a day or possibly every two days so I can finish up posting for this story. After that you may not here from me for a bit but I'll be out there somewhere... writing stuff. Thanks for reading!**

 **Also, some of you may have been expecting a more emotional reunion in the last chapter and I apologize for not delivering that. There is a lot of stuff going on in this and I'm trying to put all the nuances into place. I'm probably going to disappoint from time to time but it's because there really is very little time to focus on one specific thing. If it's taken away from the plot at all then that is totally my bad and hopefully it didn't mess up the feels for the story!**

 **Chapter Seventy Four**

Carol squeezed Merle's hand as the needle drove into her spine. This was really happening and it was happening now. They were going to cut her baby out of her stomach, her daughter was missing, Daryl was gone. Merle looked ready to throw up and then suddenly she felt a little bit of relief. Instantly she felt like maybe everything was going to be okay.

"I know that look," Merle said in a low voice. "They dosed your ass up with something."

She met his eyes but before she could speak the male nurse, who was the size of a bull but was blessed with a soft soothing voice came around to face her as he helped her lean back onto the bed. "We gave you some morphine just to take the edge off. You're going to start feeling numb...

She stopped listening to what he was saying as her eyes seemed to swim out of focus. She blinked when Merle snapped his fingers in front of her face. "I'm sorry, what?" She asked, unsure if it had been Merle speaking or the nurse.

Merle shook his head. "You're so high right now."

"My nose is itching," she muttered, trying to scratch her face but Merle shook his head and pulled her hand away.

"It'll stop on it's own," he said, keeping her hands down.

"I'm really going to have this baby, huh?"

"That's been the plan all along, ain't it?" He asked.

She nodded and was about to say something else when his phone went off. As soon as it did she felt the bed she was on being pushed away from him.

"Mrs. Dixon, we're taking you to the operating room now," the nurse said from somewhere behind her.

Merle let out a loud whoop that would have probably startled her if she hadn't been on drugs at the moment. She craned her neck to look at him but suddenly he was right there, walking next to the bed. "He's on his way. He found her and she's fine other than a bump to the head. He'll be here."

"So, they're both okay?"

Merle nodded, the color returning to his face that had seemed void of any pigment at all ever since he had told her about what was happening. "Just take it easy on him okay? There was a reason he lied to you and you know it. He didn't want you freaking out."

"I won't say anything," she said, because she really didn't feel like fighting with him at the moment. She just wanted to see him and see for herself that Sophia was okay. She didn't think Merle would lie to her, she was sure she would be able to tell, but she still just needed to see them. She was extremely relaxed now though. She felt like everything was going to be okay. She told herself that that was because things were going to be okay and not because she was on drugs.

~H~

He had left Sophia with Buck in the emergency room and promised that he would be back as soon as he could. Sophia had waved him away because she could tell that he felt bad about abandoning her but there was only one of him. As much as he wanted to be in two places at the same time, he simply couldn't. He didn't know if it was too late because he hadn't been able to get a hold of Merle for the last ten minutes. The last time he had texted him, they were taking her into surgery. If he made it in time at all it would be another small miracle but he still had a little hope.

He came to a halt when he saw Merle standing outside a door, stripping off a gown. His heart sank. He was too late. Merle had been forced to step in for what was suppose to be one of the biggest days of Daryl's life.

When Merle looked up he motioned him over. "Bout fuckin' time. Here, get this shit on and get your ass in there. When I walked out they were about to get the scalpel ready." He shoved the gown into Daryl's arms.

Daryl looked up sharply. "I made it?"

Merle nodded, shoving him towards the door as he donned the idiotic get up that Merle had been wearing. He opened the door and stepped inside and nearly walked right back out. Luckily Merle was there to shove him back inside. He had been in a lot of different situations. He had been through things that would have broken other men. He was sure that if he needed to, he could easily face down the devil himself.

But he had never felt this way before. Carol was lying on a bed, her hands actually strapped down like she was undergoing some strange Crucifixion as people bustled around her. When the door swung shut everyone seemed to stop at once and turn to stare at him. Carol's head turned with the others and her eyes focused.

"You made it," she grinned. Her voice was slurred. "They won't let me watch them cut me open. They hung a curtain up. I'm not too worried though."

He crossed the room, stopping when he was finally next to her bed. He kept his eyes on her face because, for the first time in his life, he was too big of a coward to look at whatever they were doing to her lower half. "Why'd they tie your hands down?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

She rolled her eyes. "Because I wouldn't stop scratching. I don't know why my face is itching so bad."

"Morphine, probably," he muttered. He felt dizzy and he wasn't sure why.

"You're bleeding," she said, glancing at his arm before meeting his eyes.

He looked down and sure enough, there was blood blossoming across the sleeve of the gown. "Ain't nothin'."

"Sir?"

He looked up at a man in scrubs and a mask. What?"

"You can't be in here. You're bleeding and..."

"Listen," he said in a calm voice. "I've had one hell of a fucked up night, okay? Now I'm gonna stay in here while you do your damn job and get my kid out of there. Unless you think you can make me leave." He gave the doctor a pointed look. This wasn't their first meeting and the man finally continued doing whatever it was he had been doing a minute ago. When he looked back down Carol sighed and shook her head. He took it upon himself to unstrap her hand. No one said anything. "So, how the hell did all this happen?" He asked.

She tried to bring her hand to her face but he gripped it tightly. She smiled. "I don't know. I guess he's bored in there and he already thinks he can just do whatever he wants. This probably means he's already just like you. Did you get shot?"

He glanced over at the group gathered around her midsection but no one was looking at him so he nodded. "It ain't too bad though."

"Is she really okay?" She asked, worry etching her brow.

"She's fine. She's with Buck."

"What happened?" She asked, her hand nearly slipping out of his.

"We'll talk about that later, alright?" He said, glancing at the others again. They all seemed to be focused intently and he decided that he wanted to know what was going on too. He kept a grip on her hand but peeked around the curtain that was shielding her from seeing what was happening.

That had been a horrible mistake. The light glinted off the scalpel just as it sliced into her. He expected to see a lot of blood but there really wasn't much. Once they had her cut open he watched in horror as the doctor used his hands, stretching the gruesome wound. He didn't realize right away that the room was spinning. Not until the floor seemed to shift under his feet.

"Daryl?"

He heard Carol's voice but it sounded like she was speaking to him through a tunnel. A very long tunnel. Her voice was drowned out quickly when suddenly there was a strange roaring in his ears, the floor wavered and he dropped her hand. The scalpel was back, quickly cutting through thin layers of membrane. He swiped a hand over his face and realized that he was pouring sweat and he was having some serious trouble with his equilibrium. He swayed slightly but forced himself to stay upright.

He tried to swallow but he couldn't. His tongue felt thick and dry and was stuck to the roof of his mouth. Another quick movement from the doctors hand with some new metal instruments and then, to his complete surprise, he saw a shock of dark hair and then a face...

That was when the floor decided to come up and slam into his ass. Or, more than likely, his ass had landed hard on the floor. He scrambled back up, moving so he couldn't see what was going on anymore. It wasn't that he didn't want to see, but he couldn't. If he passed out then he'd just be in the way and he was pretty sure that watching someone pull his son out of his wife's stomach would knock him right the fuck out.

"Are you okay?"

He looked down into Carol's worried blue eyes and nodded. He still couldn't form words. He stared at her for a few long moments and finally things slowed down in his mind. The roaring in his ears was subsiding and the room was no longer spinning. And then he heard it. A strong loud wail. His head snapped up but he couldn't see anything because there were a couple of nurses in the way, doing what they needed to do. Whatever it was must have been pissing the kid off because he just got louder. Strangely it was the most amazing thing he had ever heard in his life.

He looked back down at Carol. She was grinning even though there were people still working over her, putting her back together. He'd never forget that sight as long as he lived but it was worth it. He could tell that she thought so too. A few seconds later they brought him around, cleaned up and wrapped in a Hospital issue blanket. He had stopped screaming and now looked to be shocked at the sights around him. Daryl finally managed to swallow thickly as they put the baby in Carol's arms.

"Oh my. It looks like you and Merle used me as some sort of strange surrogate," she grinned, taking in the small face.

She was actually right. There was Carol in there somewhere, he was sure but at the moment this kid was all Dixon. Mostly he looked like Daryl but Merle was there too, so was a little Buck. The nurse lifted him back up and offered him to Daryl. He wasn't shaking anymore. The room wasn't spinning. His heart was pounding but other than that, he was okay. He looked down, a million thoughts spinning through his mind, his chest heavy with emotions that he couldn't even identify.

The nurse leaned in, smiling brightly. "Five weeks early and seven and a half pounds already. That's a first for me."

Daryl barely heard her. The baby seemed to be studying him as intently as he was studying the baby and Daryl could have laughed because the kid looked completely offended that so much fuss was going on around him. Even the curve of his lips were exactly like Daryl's. He squirmed in his arms for a few seconds and then the nurse was taking him back.

She explained that even though he was big for a premature baby, he was still premature and he would need to be taken to the NICU. He felt his heart sink but she was quick to offer him a comforting pat on the arm. "He's big, he's strong and he's going to be just fine. You'll get to see him again in a few hours. By then you'll both be settled and a lot more comfortable."

He nodded and watched as she walked out.


	75. Chapter 75

**I was a little iffy about this chapter and I tried several times to rewrite it but nothing felt right like this one did. Hopefully, you all agree. This is the first time, and last time, during this story that I've went into the POV of an OC. Hopefully you all like it. Thanks for reading!**

 **Chapter Seventy Five**

Damon hung back with Odin, listening as they explained the plan to Shane. He couldn't stop glancing down at his hands. There was blood there from where he had put his hands on Sophia's back. Her shirt had been soaked with blood from the hit she had taken to the back of the head. She was gone now. Buck had followed Daryl to the hospital to have her head checked out. He couldn't stop looking at the blood on his hands.

His fists clenched and he leaned against the wall. He knew something that the others didn't know. She had told him because she knew that it was something that he could handle quietly. She told him because she knew that he wasn't going to let somebody get away with trying to hurt her. He was three days away from his eighteenth Birthday. Three days. He had almost made it.

His mind drifted back to a day three years ago. He had been sitting on the roof with Daryl while Daryl got high...

 _"Can I ask you somethin'?" Damon asked as they gazed out at the setting sun._

 _"Shoot kid," Daryl answered after a coughing fit._

 _"Me and Piper were in the back of the garage earlier. We were hidin' out cause we both ditched today. We didn't think anybody would be there other than you so when they showed up we hid in the stairway. My dad and Buck got to talkin' about somethin'." He sat there for a few long moments collecting his thoughts._

 _Daryl glanced over. "Well, that's a fascinating story, Damon. You got a point?"_

 _Damon rolled his eyes. "Yeah. They mentioned some shit that you did back when you were even younger than me." Out of the corner of his eye he saw Daryl tense but he needed to know. "They were talkin' about you killin' somebody."_

 _Daryl took another hit, his eyes hard and guarded. "Yeah. You know as good as I do that sometimes shit like that happens."_

 _Damon nodded. "I know. It just got me to thinkin' I guess."_

 _Daryl met his eyes. "You thinkin' about whether you'd be able to do it?"_

 _"Not really. We have to do what we have to do, right?"_

 _Daryl sighed. "I'll tell you what, kid. You won't ever be put in that spot, alright? Things like that don't happen unless we let our guard down and our people get hurt. We don't let our guard down anymore, okay? So as long as we take care of each other, watch each others backs, your hands will stay clean. That's my new mission. Keepin' you from killin' till you're at least eighteen." He laughed and then surprised Damon when he passed the joint over. He'd smoked weed before but he didn't want his mom finding out about it. Then again, Daryl wasn't really one of the adults around here. He was something in between. That's what made him such a cool guy to hang out with. If you wanted somebody to give it to you straight, he was the man you came to._

 _"Is it hard? Killin' somebody I mean?" Damon asked. Deep down he wasn't sure if he would ever be able to do it. Sure, he could hurt people. He'd been in plenty of fights. He liked it. But actually taking someone's life, that was different._

 _Daryl gazed off, his face relaxed now and his eyes calm. He shrugged. "No."_

Damon shook off the reverie when Odin clapped him on the shoulder.

"I'm guessin' you're wantin' to head on over to the hospital now? Your mom is with Piper, who is probably giving her a damn hard way to go since she don't know what the hell is going on. That girl ain't used to being in the dark. Buck's with Sophia but I think she'll get released soon," Odin said, his blue eyes studying Damon closely.

"Yeah, I'll go home, get cleaned up. Maybe I'll stop at her place and grab her some clothes. Hers are all bloody."

Odin gave him a stiff nod and then stopped him when he tried to walk away. "Hey, I know you feel like you shoulda been the one to take those assholes out. I don't know why the hell you're so fuckin' eager to spill blood, but I couldn't let you do it."

Damon held his gaze. "Long as they're dead I don't guess it much matters, right? And maybe I ain't as eager as you think"

Odin slapped him on the back and steered him towards the door. "I'm actually a little relieved to hear that son. Anyway, they ain't gonna be hurtin' no more girls. They paid for what they did here tonight."

All except one person and Damon wasn't about to open his mouth and say anything about it. "I'll meet you all up there."

"When Sophia gets out you go ahead and take her on to Buck's. I ain't stupid enough to think you're comin' home tonight. Just tell your mama when you get there."

Damon cranked the radio up in the car, trying to drown his dark thoughts with The Rolling Stones. He didn't speed. He didn't run any stop signs or red lights. He parked his car at the garage but didn't even bother looking at the building. With the comforting pressure of the gun at the small of his back he took off walking towards Ed Peletier's house. If the man wasn't home, he would wait. It would give him more time to think about how he was going to do this. Depending on how he felt when he got there, he may not even need the gun.

Maybe he would use his bare hands.

The back of the house was dark and he didn't expect to get lucky enough to get through any open windows so he went to the door instead. It was locked but the deadbolt didn't seem to be engaged so he fished his license out of his wallet and jimmied it until the doorknob turned in his hand. He carefully wiped it off before he stepped into the kitchen, careful not to touch anything.

The kitchen was dark but there was light spilling in through the living room, into the small dining room but it wasn't strong enough to reach the kitchen. He was in shadows and he took a moment to get his breathing under control. In his minds eye he remembered that night he had climbed up the porch roof and came into her room. The night he had thought that Ed had hurt her. The look on her face. The desolation in her eyes and the way her body shook from fear. He clenched his teeth and stepped further into the room.

He heard a soft sound, like a cough coming from the living room and stopped.

He could almost hear her voice in his head, whispering his name. Feel her arms around his waist as they sped down the highway with the others. Hear her laughter and see the way her eyes danced mischievously. All of that could have been taken away tonight. And even if they had found her eventually, she would have been so broken that _his_ Sophia would never be back. She would be someone else. Someone haunted. The things those men would have done to her. What they would have forced her to do. He felt bile rise in the back of his throat. Knowing that the only person to ever touch her at all had been him, even in the smallest ways, and knowing that those men would have used her up like she meant nothing at all made something inside him grow cold and dark with hate.

She meant everything to him and this man... no... this fucking monster, would toss her away to a pack of wolves to be used and defiled and...

He stopped in the doorway to the living room and heard the television and then a small chuckle. Ed must have been watching something pretty funny. The man's own blood could have been out there being tortured right now and he was sitting on his ass watching T.V. like nothing in the world was amiss.

"Enjoyin' yourself tonight, Ed?" He asked, pulling the gun around so the man would see it when he looked up.

Ed nearly fell out of the Lazy-E-Boy he was lounging in at the sound of Damon's voice. His head shot up and his hand reached for the phone sitting on the table next to him. Damon clucked his tongue and shook his head.

"You see the funny barrel on this gun here? It's a silencer. You touch that phone and I'll fill you full of lead faster than you can dial the first number. Nobody will hear a thing."

"What the hell are you doin' in my house?" Ed barked, standing up and taking a step back.

Damon came towards him fast, grabbing him by the back of the neck and hauling him towards the dining room. He shoved him into a chair and then grabbed one for himself, sitting in it backwards right in front of the man before he ever said a word. "I'm here to get answers. That's all," he lied. He wanted to know why. That was all he wanted to know and he knew if Ed knew he was here to kill him then he would never get those answers.

"What's this about?" Ed asked, his eyes flicking frantically around the room.

"This is about the hand you played in what happened to Sophia tonight. Did you really think that you and your friends would get away with that?"

Ed shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Damon forced himself to remain calm. This must have been how Daryl felt the day he had talked to Ed. "We got there before the buyer was able to take her anywhere," he said, successfully keeping his voice under control and his hands from shaking. "All those men are dead. Sophia didn't tell Daryl you were there. She didn't tell Buck or any of the others. She just told me. And now I'm here cause I wanna know how. How the hell could you do somethin' like that to her? She's never hurt a goddamn soul in her whole life. She never could. So how? Just answer that question."

Ed's eyes grew colder and he sneered. "How? After everything her and that bitch mother of hers did to me!"

Damon was having trouble keeping himself under control but he forced himself to. He was here for answers. That and retribution. "What they did to you, huh? I don't recall Sophia doin' anything to you. And the only thing Carol did was get away from an abusive piece of shit that didn't treat her right."

Ed seemed to have forgotten that Damon was the one in control here. He leaned forward, anger turning the lines in his forehead into deep creases. "What does it matter to you, boy? Huh? Do you really think you're any better than me? Do you think that girl won't turn around and fuck somebody else behind your back just like her mama-" Ed screamed as a bullet tore into his thigh. Damon had moved so fast that the man didn't see it coming.

"Don't," he growled. "Don't you fuckin' talk about her like that or this is gonna take me all night. I can make it hurt or I can end you quick. You remember that. I'm the one with the gun here. I'm the one that makes the calls. How much longer you live. That's all up to me. Don't forget that. Now I wanna know why."

Ed was sobbing, holding his leg. "Because she don't matter," he bit out between clenched teeth. "She's never mattered. Carol never mattered. I didn't want that life. I was destined for more than that and then Sophia came along and everything was ruined."

Damon realized then that he wouldn't get any answers because he would never be able to understand Ed's logic. He would never understand how a man could look at his own child and think the things that Ed had thought about doing. He would never understand how Carol could mean so little to someone. His own father worshiped the ground his mother walked on. He was raised to put family above everything else. Ed didn't understand anything like that.

Suddenly he felt tired. Extremely tired. He was tired of listening to Ed's rambling and he was tired of the pained whimpers that fell from his lips as he covered the wound in his leg. Damon leaned forward slightly. "Carol had a son tonight. Daryl, he risked dying for Sophia tonight. When the sun comes up tomorrow, our lives are gonna start goin' back to normal. We're still gonna be happy no matter what happened tonight. Carol and Sophia, they have everything they ever wanted. Family. Security. A life. I want you to think about that. I want you to think about how happy they are. I want you to think about how, no matter what you did, you didn't break them. You weren't strong enough to break them.

"Why the hell would I do that?" Ed spat. "I don't care how happy they are. They. Don't. Matter."

 _Is it hard? Killin' somebody I mean?_ His own voice, much younger, sounded in his head.

He thought about Sophia again. Let images of what could have happened to her tonight crash into his mind. He thought about the blood on his hands. He thought about a future where she was always looking over her shoulder, never knowing what Ed was plotting next. He thought about the things Ed wanted to do to her. It was Damon's job to keep her safe. He needed to make sure that what happened tonight, never happened again. It wasn't that he wanted to kill anyone. It was that, if it came down to her safety or the life of a potential child molester, a monster, then he would choose her safety.

 _No._ Was the answer that Daryl had given him that day on the roof.

Damon raised the gun so it was just a few inches from Ed's face. Ed's eyes, glazed with pain and shock rose up to meet his. Without a word Damon pulled the trigger.


	76. Chapter 76

**Three more chapters after this one! This was another chapter I was a little uncertain about. I know that you are more than ready for a chapter full of Caryl and I promise that tomorrow, you will get a lot of it. I just needed to get this one out there first. Another AN after the chapter. =)**

 **Chapter Seventy Six**

Sophia was relieved when Daryl finally showed up. She had been waiting for a while. They told her that she could go but she had to have a parent to sign some of the paperwork and Daryl had been with her mom for the last hour. He didn't meet her eyes when he came in to tell her that they could go. He looked miserable and she felt bad for him. He had had a very long night so far and it wasn't over. Not by a long shot.

"I'm stayin' here tonight," he said after a nurse handed him a clipboard with some papers that he glanced over and signed. "I don't want you home alone so I'm takin' you to Buck's. Piper's there, probably pacing a hole in the floor."

"Okay," she said, waiting for him to finally look up at her. When he did she almost had to look away.

"I know it probably don't make shit any better, it can't, but I'm so fuckin' sorry, kid," he muttered, finally meeting her eyes.

She frowned. "What? Sorry for what? You saved me."

He shook his head and held the door open for her, ushering her out. "If it wasn't for me that wouldn't have happened to begin with." He sounded so defeated that she wanted to cry.

"Daryl," she said, keeping her voice soft as she grabbed his wrist to stop him from walking out into the parking lot.

He stopped but he didn't look at her.

"Please don't think I'd ever blame you for what happened. It happened because the world is full of bad people. You came and got me out of there. You got hurt in the process. What happened wasn't your fault. The only reason I didn't piss myself back there was because I knew you'd come for me."

He shook his head and she didn't know what else to do so she she hugged him. He hugged her back, letting go of a shuddering breath. They stood like that for a few long moments and he finally pulled away. "I need to get you to Buck's and get back here."

She nodded and they stepped out from under the awning only to stop in their tracks. Damon's car was illegally parked and he was sitting on the trunk, elbows resting on his knees and his head in his hands. He hadn't seen them. She looked up at Daryl, her eyes pleading.

He blew out a breath. "I guess I can let Damon take you. I should get back in there. You can see the baby and your mama in the mornin'. Right now he's in some sort of incubator and she's stoned off her ass."

"Are you sure you're gonna be okay?" She asked worriedly. He really did look like he was about to snap.

He snorted. "Leave it to you to ask me somethin' like that after what you went through tonight. Just like your mom. I'm fine. We're all fine."

She kissed his cheek quickly and then squeezed his hand. "I love you. I'll bring you breakfast."

He nodded. "I love you too, kid." He looked up at where Damon was still sitting and then back down at her. "Be good," he said, a clear warning in his voice.

She offered him a weak smile and then let go of his hand. When she glanced over her shoulder he was already heading back inside. She still had a slight headache but they had given her something for the pain. She hadn't had to get stitches, which she was grateful. Not only did she hate the thought of a needle threading through her skin but they would have had to shave part of her head and she was vain enough to not want to go through that. Instead they used some kind of glue, which was holding the gash together.

She was just a few feet away from him when his head came up. He blinked in surprise and then slid off the car, closing the distance and not giving her a chance to say anything before his arms were around her, crushing her against him. She could barely breath but she didn't care. She could feel his hands shaking as he gripped her by the waist and pulled her back slightly.

"I was about to come in. I didn't know they'd let you leave this quick," he said in a rough voice.

"I'm fine. It wasn't even as bad as they thought at first," she said, studying his face. He looked different somehow. "Are you okay?"

He nodded. "I am now. I'm stayin' with you tonight. My old man already knows."

"Good," she said, relieved. She let him pull her around the side of the car. When he was finally behind the wheel she noticed that he was gripping the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles were white. "Did something happen?" She asked after a long silence.

He glanced at her, swallowed hard and then nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, something happened."

He didn't offer to elaborate and she didn't press him for more information. He would talk to her when he was ready. She wasn't really in the mood to talk much herself so she understood. They had both been through a lot today.

When they pulled up at the house Piper was out the door and hurrying towards them. Sophia was surprised to see June come out the door, wrapping a cardigan around her shoulders. Sophia was a little taken aback when Piper hugged her.

"Jesus Christ! What the fuck happened? Nobody would tell me shit!" She pulled away and then glanced at Damon. "Are you two okay?"

Sophia nodded and the three of them made their way to the porch. June grabbed her then, pulling her into another hug.

"I wanted to wait for you two before I went to the hospital. Are you okay?" She asked, her hands lingering on Sophia's cheeks as she looked her over. Her dark eyes slid over to her son. "You stay here tonight," she said firmly. "Buck will be here soon but I don't want these girls alone for even a minute."

He nodded, not saying anything. June moved on and reached up, touching Damon's face lightly before her eyes filled with tears and she pulled her hand away. "Oh, Damon," she said, her voice so soft Sophia barely heard it.

He shook his head and looked down. "I didn't have a choice, mom." His voice was heartbreaking. Sophia didn't understand what was going on but apparently a mother's intuition was a very powerful thing because it was obvious that June was reading something in his eyes that Sophia hadn't grasped yet.

June nodded, covering her mouth with her hand before a sob escaped her. Damon grabbed her then, pulling her into him and hugging her tightly. She pulled away, wiping her face quickly and nodding. "I need to go. You guys get some rest and I'll see you in the morning."

Sophia watched her get into her car and drive away. She followed Damon and Piper into the house.

"You two can probably get away with taking Daryl's room for the night. I cleaned it and stuff so it should be alright. I'm fuckin' beat. You two look like warmed up death but I want some fucking details in the morning."

Sophia nodded and then watched her walk away. Damon took her hand and led her down the hall. She didn't even notice that he was carrying a bag with him until he handed it to her after shutting the bedroom door.

"I stopped by your place and picked you up some clothes. I didn't know how long you'd be in there so I didn't get you anything to sleep in," he said in that rough voice that, for some reason, caused a dull pain in her chest.

"What happened, Damon?" She asked, taking the bag but not making a move to go to the bathroom to change.

He shook his head. "Just go change. We can talk about it later."

She watched as he sat down on the edge of the bed. She went into the bathroom and hurriedly changed. He had grabbed her a t-shirt from her closet that she rarely ever wore because it was a size too big and considering the night they had had she didn't think it would distract him too much if she just slept in that and not the jeans he'd packed for her. She wasn't as embarrassed about things like this as she had been before.

When she came back out he was still sitting there, looking down at his boots. She was worried about him. She had known, after they had found her, that he would be in some sort of mood but she hadn't been expecting this. He looked as though he were having an inner battle of some kind and she hated that she didn't seem to be able to do anything to help him. She stepped right into his space and pushed his head back so he was forced to look at her.

Instantly he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into the V of his legs. He looked up at her, meeting her eyes. "Ed's dead."

She froze there, her hands on his shoulders, and waited to feel something. She was surprised that what she felt was guilt. Not because Ed was dead either. She felt guilt because she knew that opening her mouth, that telling Damon that Ed had been involved, had caused him to do this. "Damon, I'm so sorry. I didn't tell you about him because I wanted..."

He shook his head. "Killin' ain't as easy as Daryl said it was, but I'm glad he's gone. You have no idea what I thought was happenin' to you in there. I didn't know what we'd find. I thought..." his eyes went hard and his jaw clenched.

She pushed his hair back from his face, "Stop," she said, her voice low but strong. "Nothing happened. Nothing like that. I got hit in the head and I got slapped in the face. That's it. You and Daryl got there before anything else could happen. The only thing we can do now is move past it because if you just dwell on it then you're gonna be miserable. But I am sorry you thought you had to do what you did. You didn't have to do that."

He sighed and pulled her closer as her fingers played through his hair. "None of us have to do anything. But how long would it take him to find another group of bad men willing to do something sick, just to get back at you and your mom? I don't wanna spend the next ten fuckin' years wondering what's coming at us."

She smiled, almost surprised that she could after everything that had happened tonight. "Ten years, huh? When I met you you didn't strike me as the long term relationship type of guy."

He shrugged and looked up at her, a little bit of that anguish leaving his eyes. "I figure we're kind of stuck with each other regardless. If I ain't your boyfriend, I'm still your cousin. Might as well put in the effort to make this work where I get some kind of benefits for putting up with you."

He had jokes and she was more than grateful. She didn't want to think about what happened tonight. She wanted to think about something else. Something good. But it wasn't easy. It wasn't easy because while she was in that room she had been terrified that she would never see him again. Sure, she was afraid of what was going to happen to her but the worst thing of all was knowing that she was going to be taken away from him. She knew how stupid that was. She knew she was just a teenager that had a whole lot of life left to live and feeling so deeply about a boy was stupid, but she couldn't turn it off. There wasn't a switch.

He had killed a man for her tonight. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do to make sure she was safe. He would sacrifice himself if it meant that she would be okay. That wasn't something that your average teenage boy would do for a girl. This wasn't some kind of fling. This wasn't some high school romance gone rogue. This, whatever it was between them, was just as real as what her mom had with Daryl. This was just as real as what his own parents had. And she had came so close to losing him. Much to close.

"I love you," she said quickly. He needed to hear it because if something really had happened to her tonight, it would have been awful to know he never really knew how she felt.

His eyes widened slightly and then he grinned. It lit up his face. "I love you too." She held his gaze until the smile dissolved on his face, replaced by a look she knew well before he shook his head, clearing his throat. "You gotta be worn out. Headache. Let's get some sleep alright? It's gonna be daylight in a few hours." He scooted back until he was stretched out on top of the covers.

She crawled in next to him. "You think Daryl will kill us if he finds out we shared his bed?" She asked.

He snorted. "Yeah. It's weird. He used to be just one of us guys and now he watches me like I'm the devil incarnate out to seduce his little girl." He rolled, pulling her closer but was careful not to touch the back of her head.

She was hoping that she could sleep without dreams but she wasn't that lucky. She had simply been through too much in too little time and there were fears that her mind refused to let go of until they vividly replayed in startling clarity in the form of grotesque nightmares. She jerked awake, her face wet and feeling as though she were suffocating.

Instantly Damon's arm tightened around her and he raised up on his elbow. Her arms instantly wound around his neck and she held on to him so tightly that she would have been surprised if he could breath.

"You're alright," he muttered, shifting as she pulled him closer. He had no choice but to climb almost on top of her. He grunted.

"I don't want to go back to sleep," she muttered once she finally let go of him. She wanted those images gone from her mind and the only way that was going to happen was if she focused on something else.

"You need to. We ain't been asleep for an hour."

She shook her head and then pulled his face down to hers. She couldn't stop thinking about all of the bad people out there. People that were only out to hurt others and she kissed him more forcefully. He wasn't one of those people. He was one of the best people she had ever known. He always put her before himself. Was always patient with her. Never tried to make her feel like she wasn't enough. As a matter of fact he went above and beyond to make her happy.

"Sophia," he muttered, pulling back.

"What?" She asked, her voice sounding off.

He shook his head and tried to move away from her but that wasn't happening. Not tonight. After everything they had been through, she wasn't wasting another minute with him. Her arms tightened around his neck again and she pulled him back down. He was stronger than her. Much stronger. But he let her get her way. She started tugging his shirt up and he leaned up long enough to strip it the rest of the way off. It was when she went for her own that his large hand wrapped around her wrists and he pushed her hands above her head.

"What the hell are you doin'?" He growled.

"I want you," she muttered.

He shook his head firmly. "Nah, that ain't how this works. I take off my shirt but yours stays on. We ain't doin' that. Not now."

"I want to," she said as she maneuvered herself under him.

"You only think that because of all the shit that happened tonight," he argued.

"I want to because at this moment I could be out of my mind on drugs and bought by a fourth man right now." She felt him tense above her and could imagine the look in his eyes. "But instead I'm in bed with a boy that loves me, and is actually trying to talk me out of finally having sex with him."

"Sophia," he grumbled still moving away.

"I'm on the pill," she said quickly. Her and Piper had both gone and gotten put on birth control more than a month ago. She had known that it would happen eventually and she wanted to be prepared when it happened.

He stilled, no longer trying to get away from her. She felt him relax further into her and then he cursed under his breath as his lips met hers. He had at least put up a fight, and she loved him even more for it, but there was only so much fight he had in him.

"Daryl's gonna fuckin' kill me if he finds out," he whispered as he carefully pushed her shirt up.

"Please don't talk about my parents right now," she breathed when his lips ghosted across her collar bone. She was scared. Scared to death, but it was a different kind of fear than she had felt earlier.

"I think I can manage that," he whispered as his hands encased her ribs and his head drifted lower.

 **I can't write Daphia smut. Lol I know that a few of you have messaged me and mentioned it and even though I've written Caryl stories where they are this young, I can't stop picturing Sophia in that damn blue rainbow shirt with that doll in her hands every time I write her and Damon like this. It just weirds me out. So, I had no choice but to do a fade to black for this one.**


	77. Chapter 77

**Chapter Seventy Seven**

He was named after Randy's brother, who had given his life in an attempt to save Daryl's mother years before. And Merle, of course. Michael Merle Dixon was in the NICU for two weeks before he was able to come home with his family. The night he was born Sophia was treated for a head injury, Daryl had to get seventeen stitches in his arm where a bullet grazed him, Randy had fared worse than all of them, with a bullet wound through the shoulder that had torn an artery and caused substantial tissue damage.

When they were finally able to bring the little guy home the house had been full of well wishers, the day spent with family and friends. All Carol wanted was for the four of them to finally be alone. Not that she didn't love all of them, and she loved all the time that they all spent together, but the last few weeks had been taxing. The trips back and forth to the hospital were hard on her physically and the time away from the baby when they were home was hard on all of them emotionally.

Carol smiled as the last of them walked down the steps. It had been a long day and finally they were alone. She was still in pain but getting better every day and she had more help than she really needed. It had been hard being home while the baby was still at the hospital. It had been stressful on all of them but through it all, Daryl was like a rock. She didn't think he would ever stop surprising her. He handled everything with a quiet strength that made things so much easier. But she would be lying to herself if she said she wasn't worried. The term _quiet_ strength was a bit of an understatement.

He was different. He was quieter now. He wasn't as quick to smile as he had been. He didn't treat her badly, or even very different than he had before but there was something definitely going on with him. She tried to tell herself that it was just stress because everything had happened unexpectedly but old fears found their way to the surface, causing her to wonder if maybe he realized that things had moved too fast for him. Did he have regrets now? She didn't even know how to ask him without sounding insecure.

"Mom?"

She turned, jumping slightly at the unexpected sound. Sophia was watching her worriedly so she tried to smile. "I guess I was zoning out," she said, stepping away from the door. She hadn't realized she had been staring out the window at the darkness beyond.

"Are you okay?" Sophia asked.

Carol nodded. "I'm fine. It's just been a long day."

Sophia smiled. "He's asleep so I put him to bed in the spare room. I think I'm gonna go on up to bed now."

Carol nodded again. "Okay. Goodnight."

Sophia's smile slipped a little. "If you need anything just... Well, I guess you can call me since you're sleeping down here for the next few weeks. I wouldn't hear it if you yelled."

"I can handle it. I feel a lot better and Daryl's here," she said.

"Okay, I'll see you in the morning," Sophia said reluctantly as she headed for the stairs.

The stairs had proved to be torture on her healing stomach so Daryl and Merle had set up one of the downstairs rooms until she was healed. She would probably just keep it as a guest bedroom since they didn't really need a den anyway. She made her way to the kitchen for a drink before bed and stopped in the doorway. Daryl was there, standing in front of the center island, running his finger over the granite absently. He looked to be lost in thought, a frown pulling his brows together as he stared off at nothing.

She swallowed hard but didn't make a sound. She simply watched him. He looked completely miserable and it scared her. It scared her so bad that she felt the sting of tears in her eyes because she would do anything to make that look go away, but she was terrified that maybe he was unhappy because of her. He turned around and walked to the pantry, pulling open the door and reaching towards the top shelf where there was a bottle of Maker's Mark. He pulled it down, looked at it for a long moment and then put the liquor back. He opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water instead. He didn't open it right away. He rolled it between his hands and continued to stare off miserably.

She couldn't take the look anymore. She stepped into the room and his head shot up. He offered a smile but it didn't reach his eyes. She didn't return it. There was no sense in pretending like there wasn't anything wrong. Something was very wrong and it filled her with dread. Today was suppose to have been a good day. And it was because they were all together but his strange new attitude wrung the joy out of it. Out of her.

"I think I'm gonna go ahead and call it a night," she said, reaching for the bottle he hadn't even opened yet and taking a few sips before handing it back to him.

He nodded. "Been a hell of a day."

"Yeah. Goodnight, Daryl," she said before leaving him alone again. There was a small lamp burning on the table in the corner of the room and she peeked over the railing of the baby bed. She felt like crying but she couldn't help but smile and shake her head. She had never seen a child resemble someone as much as this one did his dad. With a sigh she left him sleeping and crawled into bed. He wouldn't sleep for long and this would be the first night that she would be able to get up with him. She was actually looking forward to it. It was so strange having a baby and then leaving him in the care of people that she didn't know. It was probably the hardest thing she had ever done in her life. Tonight was going to be different.

She was almost asleep when she heard Daryl come in, the only sound was the rustling of his clothes as he got ready for bed. He slipped in, careful not to move too much. He treated her like she was made out of glass. Her back was to him and he moved until he pressed against her. His lips lingered on the side of her neck as his heavy arm slowly moved around her, caging her in. She gripped his hand, holding on to it tightly as she drifted off.

She was in that strange place, right on the brink of sleep when she heard a small whine that had her instantly alert. Before she could even move Daryl was out of the bed. She rolled over, scowling. She had been looking so forward to getting up with the baby and now he...

"Bout time," he muttered, grinning down at the fussing child.

She watched him pluck him up from the crib, and her annoyance faded. Apparently she would have to wait her turn.

"You can't be hollerin' like that. Your mama's sleeping," he whispered.

She repressed a smile and then when he glanced up she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. When he left the room she crawled out of bed, completely fascinated by his willingness to jump straight into this role. Ed had had nothing to do with Sophia as a baby so this wasn't something she was willing to miss.

She stood in the shadows of the doorway and watched while he readied a bottle, leaning against the counter.

"You know, I shoulda let her get up with you. I'm killin' your game ain't I? You could have got it straight from the source and now you're stuck with me, drinkin' from a bottle. Your dad's a booby blocker, huh?"

Carol covered her mouth with her hand to keep from laughing.

"It's just payback, boy. Now any time I get a minute alone with her, I gotta worry about getting squirted in the eye and that's all your fault, so there."

A small cry was the only response he got.

"Yeah, kid, you have no idea what the hell you came into do you? You wanna know some crazy family stuff? Your sister is dating your second cousin. Yep. Swear to Christ. When you get older I'm not even gonna yell at you for callin' them weird in-breeders."

Holding in the laugh was almost painful but she did. This was too great and seeing him with his son was almost mesmerizing.

"You know, your life was real close to being damn near as fucked up as mine was before your mama came around," he said quietly as he sat down at the kitchen chair now that the bottle was warm enough.

Carol's smile faded and she listened carefully.

"You're gonna be one that breaks this damn cycle we got going on. Dixons are notorious for doin' the wrong thing and you're gonna have to be smarter than that. We act like nothin' can touch us but that ain't the case and you're gonna know it."

The baby stared up at him, looking very much like he was listening carefully.

"I thought I had a grip on things, ya know? I thought if I just tried to be a decent guy that it would be enough, but sometimes the past rears up and bites you on the ass and the people you love, they pay for it."

She frowned, not understanding what he was talking about but knowing that this would shed light on his change over the last weeks.

"I damn near got your sister killed. The very night that your impatient little ass decided you was too crowded in there, I thought I'd lost it all. But that ain't how things turned out. Things turned out okay. But it could have went all to hell real quick. Your sister woulda been gone and that woulda killed your mama inside and all because your dad is a bone-a-fide dumb ass."

Carol's eyes widened. She had no idea he felt like that.

"Man, I hope you don't puke on me," he muttered as he sat the bottle down on the table and moved so he was able to pat the baby on the back. "Anyway, the point is, you can't be a dumb ass too. You got my looks, lets hope you got her smarts. Not that she's too damn smart or she wouldn't have gotten herself mixed up in this kinda shit to begin with, ya know? But I'm glad she did."

He managed to not get puked on but he wasn't ready to get up just yet. He moved him back to the cradle of his arm and continued.

"See, I know what she got herself into. She probably knows what she got herself into, I'm thinkin maybe it's just gonna be a matter of time before it really hits her. That she damn near lost one kid because of this kinda life and that scares the hell outta me. And that's another thing you're gonna learn, kid. It's okay to be scared of shit like that. You ain't always gotta be some goddamn hero. Yeah, you seem all interested now but by the time I'm through lecturing you, you'll hate hearing me, but you're gonna learn from every mistake I ever made. I don't even care if it gets on your nerves."

That was it. She watched as that miserable look came over him again. After everything, he was afraid that she would leave. He was afraid that she blamed him for what happened with Sophia and that was the last thing he needed to think. Unable to keep herself hidden any longer she stepped into the room. His head came up sharply.

"You should be asleep," he said, his brows pulling together.

"And you're going to have to learn to share. You aren't the only one that's missed out on hanging out with mini you." She smiled and felt it this time. It wasn't just for show.

He looked down and snorted. "Well, looks like you get him next round then. I bored him to sleep."

"Daryl," she said softly once he stood up.

He looked up, met her eyes and then the corner of his mouth turned up. "You heard, didn't you?"

She nodded. "I did. And I want you to stop. Stop thinking that things are going to fall a part because they aren't. And if they do, I'll still be standing right here in the ruble."

He looked back down and shook his head. "You say that now-"

"And I'll be saying it twenty years from now. What happened with Sophia, that was terrifying. I know that. But she's fine, our son is home and healthy. I can't stand thinking that you're going to miss out on all of the good things we have because you're worried about something like me blaming you. Another thing you need to teach him," she nodded towards the baby, "Teach him that if he spends his whole life waiting for the hammer to fall, he won't have much of a life at all. We have to stop doing this to each other. Always thinking that the other is going to decide to run away."

He held her gaze for a long time and then he shook his head, stepping around her. "Let's get our asses to bed."

She followed him, more than ready to sleep now. He lingered by the crib for a few more seconds and then finally came to bed. She felt better now. She hated that he felt like he did but it was better than thinking he didn't want this life. She turned towards him when he got into bed and he pulled her closer.

"What happened wasn't your fault," she whispered.

He opened his eyes and sighed. "You say that, but if it wasn't then why the hell do I keep blaming myself?"

She smiled, "Because that's what you do. You went from putting the blame on everyone else for your actions to blaming yourself for the actions of everyone else. You can't control everything. Things are going to happen. It's life. And you had me scared to death that you weren't happy anymore. I thought you were overwhelmed with all of this."

He didn't say anything. His lips met hers softly. She wrapped an arm around him, trailing her nails up his spine and he pulled away, his eyes darkening, causing her to laugh. His hand rested lightly on her hip and he glanced towards the crib. "You know, you're right," he muttered, "We gotta stop doin' this."

Her nails bit into him harder and he let out a heavy breath. She smiled innocently. "Doing what?"

"Thinkin' the other is gonna tuck tail and run. And you gotta quit doin' what you're doin' cause I have another month to wait and that's just mean."

She kissed him. "I agree. From here on out lets just let it be known that we're stuck with each other for the next fifty years or so."

He laughed. "Alright. I can live with that."

"Why didn't you just talk to me?" She asked, her smile fading.

He shrugged. "I didn't wanna know."

She pushed his hair out of his face. "I love you. More than I ever thought I could love another person. Not one I didn't give birth to anyway. You're the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. I never thought that I would have a life like this. You need to remember that."

He didn't say anything but his lips met hers again, telling her more than any words ever could. He kissed her until she finally had to pull away to catch her breath. "Get some sleep, Carol," he said, pressing his lips to her forehead.

She smiled and closed her eyes, feeling like a heavy weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She felt like things were really going to be okay.


	78. Chapter 78

**Good morning! Last chapter before the epilogue! I still don't have any other stories finished. Maybe I would if I would stop starting new stories. Some are already 40 chapters and I still haven't finished any. There are 9 now. Eventually, you'll get to read them. I hope. lol**

 **Chapter Seventy Eight**

Sophia's heart pounded hard in her chest and she had to wipe the palms of her hands on her jeans several times. Her hands were shaking but she had to do this. Buck and the others had shattered protocol for her and now it was her turn to do her part. She just hoped that she could do it without breaking down. This was a very delicate situation. She climbed off the back of the bike just as Piper and Eli pulled up next to them in Piper's car.

"You don't have to do this. Daryl, Merle, Buck, fuck even I can do it. You don't have to," Damon said, grabbing her hand as he stood up.

She smiled and let him pull her closer. She took comfort in his embrace but she was a big girl and this was something she needed to do. "You all have done enough. I need to do this."

He shook his head and tucked her hair behind her ears before he kissed her quickly. She heard Piper rev the engine behind her and she glanced over her shoulder, flashing the other girl a smile. "Let's get this shit over with, Square. What's the hold up?" Piper asked, hanging halfway out the window.

Sophia sighed, squeezed Damon's hand and then dropped it. She took her time as she climbed the steps to the police station. It had been three weeks since the night she had been taken. It had been messy and complicated, but Shane had done everything he could to keep the club from going down for what happened that night. The men that had taken her hadn't walked away. All of them were dead and so was the man that had... bought her. There was only one witness that could point his finger at Daryl and the others.

One person had walked away from the massacre that night that wasn't a part of her family. Tyler had been arrested and charged with accessory to kidnapping and accessory to human trafficking. Sophia had been afraid they would kill him too but she had pleaded with Buck and surprisingly, he had simply nodded.

She stepped into the police station and took a deep breath to steady herself. She had no idea what his reaction was going to be when he saw her.

"You ready for this?" Shane asked as he approached her.

She smiled and nodded. "Not really," she said.

He stopped in front of her and offered her a reassuring smile. "He's a quiet kid. He seems a little..." Shane rubbed the back of his neck and shook his head.

"Lost?" Sophia offered.

Shane nodded. "You can tell that he ain't one of the bad guys. We've kept him here so we could keep a closer eye on him though."

She frowned. "I thought you just said that he wasn't one of the bad guys?"

He led her through a set of doors that slammed behind them. "He isn't. But we weren't too sure if he was a risk."

"Risk?"

Shane nodded. "Suicide risk."

She stopped, her throat feeling thick. This shouldn't have came as a surprise to her. He lost his father when he had been too young to know him. Lost his mother shortly after. He was dragged around by a brother that was no good and full of hate and now he was dead too. She was afraid of how he would feel when he saw her. It was her family that had taken the last of his away, and sometimes people overlooked the reasons why. He knew what his brother had done was wrong but he was still Tyler's brother. His only family.

Then again, he had never implicated Buck or Daryl or any other club members. He had never tried to sing to the DA for a lighter sentence. He never even mentioned them to his attorney. She knew that because his attorney was on Buck's payroll.

Andrea met her in the hall and offered her a small smile. "How's your brother?"

Despite her inner turmoil she couldn't help but grin. "He's amazing."

Andrea nodded and then gestured towards the door she had just exited. "He doesn't know you're here. I don't think he understands that he will be a free man tomorrow. He just seems indifferent. If you'd like I can go in with you and-"

Sophia shook her head. "I'd like to speak with him alone. Maybe he'll actually listen if it's just me in there."

Andrea shook her head. "I don't know how on earth you talked Buck into this. After what that boy's family put yours through, I'm impressed Buck didn't kill him out of spite."

Sophia flinched but she understood. "He really isn't like the others. If I thought for a second that he was a threat I would never have asked Buck to do any of this. Or you for that matter."

Andrea sighed and then hugged her quickly. "You're something else, you know that?"

Sophia hugged her back. "So are you. Thank you for helping him."

Andrea scoffed. "Oh, honey. I got paid for that. I don't do favors."

"I'll be sure to ask Merle that when I get home tonight." Sophia grinned.

Andrea gave her a loaded look and elbowed Shane on her way past after he let out a low chuckle.

Without further delay, Shane opened the door and motioned for her to come in. "There's guards right in the other room, watching from a two way. It's procedure."

"Thanks, Shane," Sophia muttered as she stepped past him.

He shut the door behind her and Tyler looked up. His pale blue eyes widened when he saw her and he ran a hand through his blond hair before sitting up straighter. "What are you doing here?" He asked. He didn't sound angry or accusing. He just sounded curious. And under the curiosity he sounded extremely sad.

"I was wondering if we could talk?" She hated how quiet her voice was.

He snorted. "I don't guess I'm going anywhere. Not until tomorrow anyway."

She took the chair across from him. Andrea had gotten the worst of the charges dropped since he was so young and didn't have a criminal record, and Shane and Martinez both backed him, admitting that just because he was there didn't mean he was involved in the worst of it. Sophia had signed a document stating that he had tried to get her out and that had been that.

"What do you want, Sophia?" He asked when she hadn't thought of a word to say.

"I wanted to see how you were. And I wanted to talk to you about something," she said cautiously.

"I can't believe you'd wanna talk to me at all," he muttered.

She shrugged. "I thought the same thing about you."

He looked up, meeting her eyes. "Wasn't any of that shit that happened your fault. I know that." He laughed bitterly, shaking his head and running a hand through his hair. "You know, I thought about what you said that night. You asked me why I hadn't gotten away from it all before. I don't even remember my answer, really. But I started asking myself the same thing. My brother was doomed from the start, man. But I wasn't. I was stupid and it got me here."

"You get to leave tomorrow," she said softly, hating that he looked so desolate.

He nodded and offered her a smile. "Yeah. I get to leave tomorrow. Bright side, right?"

She looked away, knowing what he was thinking. Buck had told her everything. He didn't have any family left. He didn't have a home to go to either. He didn't have a job and his bike had gotten trashed during that explosion. He had no money. No club. No friends. He had nothing. He was better off in jail than he would have been out there. She took a deep steadying breath before she said anything. "I know what you said that night, about how you knew that your father did what the Dixons said he did. I know that you said that your brother was wrong for trying to get back at them for it. But I need to know, do you hate my family for everything that's happened?"

He tucked his hair behind his ears and drummed his fingers on the table, his eyes never leaving hers. It took him a while but he finally let go of a heavy breath and then shook his head. "I want to. I think I should. I guess I just ain't like other people. I ain't got a whole lot a hate in me, you know? I wish I did cause it'd make things easier. I think about the things my dad did. I think about the things my brother did. I think about my mom. But it wasn't the Dixons that did any of that. My mom killed herself because she couldn't stand the truth and, just like me, there wasn't any other way out. I still don't have a way out. Everything they've done is probably gonna follow me around for the rest of my life. I know the Dixons hate me for the shit that's happened, but-"

She reached out then and gripped his hand. "I'm a Dixon and I don't hate you. None of us hate you."

He looked down at their hands and then back up, meeting her eyes. "If Damon Dixon busts in here and kicks my ass for this, I'm gonna be pissed."

She snorted and moved her hand. "Don't flatter yourself." She was happy to see that the corner of his mouth turned up.

"Thanks, Sophia. For comin' here. Letting me know that there's no hard feelings. At least where you're concerned. I wasn't too sure." He looked back down at the table, "It means a lot."

She nodded. "So, what now? What are you going to do?"

He shrugged, eyes lingering on the table. "No idea yet. I heard about my bike. I guess the first thing I need to do is try to salvage it. Once I get it runnin' then maybe I can do a few things. Petty robberies until I have enough to get the hell out of this town."

She waited for him to tell her that he was joking but he obviously wasn't. "There is another option..." Her voice trailed off.

He waited her out.

"I spent a lot of time talking about you with Buck and the others. It took a while to get them to come around but they finally did. You say that you don't hate them for what happened to your family. Well, they don't hate you for what happened to theirs. Those things were out of your control and they know that."

"Where the hell are you goin' with this?" He asked curiously.

She cleared her throat. "We know that you have nothing. No home or car or money or job. You weren't a member of that other club. Not really. Buck... Buck said that if you know your way around an engine then, if you wanted, you could come to work for him at the shop."

His brows pulled together in a frown and he shook his head. "Is this some sort of joke?"

She shook her head. "It's favor to me. There's a house, just a little bungalow, that you can stay in until you get on your feet. It's close to us so Daryl could pick you up in the mornings until you got your bike back."

He shook his head again, "Why the fuck would they-"

"Because you aren't a bad person. You're in a spot and no matter what you've heard your whole life, my family... they're good men. Men that wouldn't mind giving you a break for me because you're a good man too."

He ran a hand over his face and then leaned over the table. "And how do you know that I'm not a bad man? How do you know I won't do something to hurt them?"

She held his gaze. "Because you would be dead before you could even try."

He raised back up. "You're serious about this? A job?"

She nodded. "Maybe you can finally put back a little cash and get out of here. You can have a new life."

They both looked up when the door opened and Shane stuck his head in. "Time to wrap it up, Sophia."

She nodded and Shane shut the door. Her eyes met Tyler's again, pleading. "So, what do you say?" She stood up when he did.

He shrugged but when she met his eyes there was life there. There was hope there. She smiled despite herself. He smiled back. "Are you sure they're sure?"

She nodded. "Didn't you wonder how you got an attorney as bad ass as Andrea?"

He frowned. "I guess I never really thought about it."

"She was a peace offering. Buck set it up."

"And I'll have my own place, huh?" He asked, still looking like he wasn't really able to believe what was happening.

She nodded. "You just have to buy your own food after you get your first paycheck. Everything else is free. So, can I tell them that you're in?"

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously but finally he nodded. "I don't see any other options. Yeah. I'm in."

She grinned, so relieved that things had worked out this way. Before she thought about what she was doing she hugged him. She pulled back quickly, not wanting to give him the wrong idea but he didn't look like he did. He actually smiled. The first real one she had ever seen on his face.

She glanced at the door. "So, Damon and I will pick you up tomorrow and then you can talk to Buck."

He made a face. "Damon?"

She rolled her eyes and walked towards the door. "You know, the two of you are going to have to end up getting along. He's my boyfriend. You're my friend. You're kind of stuck with each other."

He sighed but finally offered her a nod. "You're right."

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said as Shane opened the door for her.

"Hey!" He called before the door could close all the way.

She caught it and stuck her head back in.

"Tell Buck thanks, okay."

She nodded. "You can tell him yourself tomorrow night."

When she made her way towards the bike Damon watched her closely. Piper slid out of the window of her car, apparently on some Dukes of Hazard kick.

"He go for it?" Damon asked.

She nodded. "Really he didn't have a choice but he seems... excited. He had to have been worried about what he was going to do once he got out."

Damon eyed her. "Was he a dick to you at first?"

Sophia rolled her eyes. "No, actually. He was worried that I would hate him for what happened."

Piper leaned against her car. "It's gonna be weird havin' another newbie hangin' around."

Sophia laughed. "I'm losing my newbie status, huh? It's about time."

Damon sighed. "Well, lets get our asses back home. I'm starvin'."

"Which home?" Piper asked.

"Mine," Sophia said quickly. "That's where everyone is waiting."

As they pulled out of the parking lot Sophia grinned into Damon's back. Everything seemed to be working out for the best for everyone. Things could have gone so wrong in so many different ways but it had all worked out for the best.

 **I know that some of you really hated Tyler but to me he was just a lost kid. One that never really had a chance. Kind of like, as many of you mentioned, Daryl was in the show when he talked about Merle dragging him around. He could have done more to help. He should have done more to help. But in the end, he was powerless to do anything at all. Now we're down to one more chapter! I'm sad! Thank you guys so so so much for taking the time to read this story! =)**


	79. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Daryl remembered when he had wondered what kind of personality his child would end up having. He had wondered if he would be quiet like Sophia or a hell raiser like Piper. He had wondered if he would be a trouble magnet like himself or filled with kindness like his mama. As he pulled into the driveway he sighed heavily. It hadn't taken him long to find out.

"We kind of thought this was going to happen," Carol said, sliding her hand into his when he killed the engine.

Daryl leaned his head against the seat and glanced at her. "Two days. We leave for two days and he goes and pulls some shit like this," he muttered.

She was trying hard to fight a smile and he narrowed his eyes. That only made it harder and she grinned. "Remember when Buck said he hoped that some day you had a son that gave you half the grief that you gave him?"

He rolled his eyes and looked out towards the house. Merle came out then, Tyler and Damon on his heels. Daryl gave her hand a final squeeze and then slipped out of the truck.

Merle held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Now look, little brother. You gotta hear his side of the story, alright? It wasn't his fault."

Carol laughed. "Merle, that exactly what you told me when I came home and Sophia had gotten into a fight at school."

Merle nodded and then hugged her quickly. "Yeah, and I meant it then just like I do now."

Daryl stomped past him but Damon stopped him. He looked up at the boy, who wasn't much of a boy at all anymore.

"Daryl, I saw the whole thing. It really wasn't his fault," Damon said quickly.

He rolled his eyes and stormed up the steps. "Yeah, that's the same damn thing people used to say about me and you seen where that got me."

Carol was next to him, laughing like this wasn't a very big deal. "Actually, it got you a house, a wife and three kids."

He felt his lips twitch but he refused to crack. This was the last damn straw. They walked into the kitchen and instantly everyone in the room looked up at him. Piper and Sophia were perched on the counter, Buck, Odin, Andrea and June were sitting at the table. Randy, Merle, Tyler and Damon were standing against the wall. Eli was there, looking like he was trying to hide a smile while he tried to restrain a squirming toddler. His and Piper's youngest boy.

"Daddy, it wasn't his fault."

All eyes slid over to Buck and the little girl, Lilly, that sat patiently in his lap. Daryl's hands went to his hips but, just like every other time he looked at the girl, his heart melted a little. At seven she was two years younger than her brother and she was her mama made over. Her auburn curls were pulled away from her freckled face and her large blue eyes regarded him calmly. "Is that right?" He asked.

She nodded solemnly. "It was my fault."

He raised a brow. "Your fault, huh?"

She nodded again. "It was. Jacob and Allan, those two redheaded kids, were there at the park and Mike was mindin' his own business on the monkey bars talking to some girls when Jacob came right up and he kicked sand all over me. Almost got it right in my eye and you know I don't wanna wear no eye patch like uncle Randy. I like my eyes. Anyway, Allan thought it was the funniest thing and before I could even get up he kicked even more sand all over me."

Daryl scowled. "Those little fuckers."

Lilly nodded. "Well, that's the same thing Mike said. He jumped down and stomped right over there and punched Jacob right in the nose."

"And let me guess. He wasn't finished, was he?" Daryl asked, raising a brow at her.

"Well, course not! Like I said, I could have lost an eye!"

"So what else did he do?" Daryl asked, knowing damn good and well what he did.

"He made him..." Lilly glanced up at Buck who was having a very hard time schooling his features into something severe. "He might have made him..." Her voice trailed off and she sighed heavily, shaking her head. "Well, I ain't tellin'."

"I made him eat sand. A lot of it."

Everyone turned. Daryl bit the inside of his jaw to keep from smiling. This was serious shit. He couldn't smile. The boy was only nine but he didn't look it. His eyes, the exact shape and shade as Daryl's own narrowed as they met Daryl's. "You made a kid eat sand?"

"Mikey, you know better than that," Carol said softly.

The boy huffed. "And they're both older than me so they know better than to pick on little girls. Ain't my fault if their stupid mama didn't raise them no better than that."

Daryl groaned. "And you couldn't have just let Merle handle it?"

Mikey rolled his eyes. "If Merle woulda made him eat sand then he'd go to jail. Better if I just did it myself."

"What about the other boy?" Daryl asked.

Mikey pointed to his eye, that would have a decent shiner tomorrow. "Sucker punched me right in the face."

"Then what?" Daryl asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Lilly piped up then. "Then I kicked him in the balls, like you told me to do if a boy tried to hit me."

Mikey nodded. "She did."

"Then?" Daryl asked.

"Then I held him down and Lilly made him eat some sand too."

"Mickey broke Jacobs nose. There was blood in his sand but none in Allen's, if that helps," Lilly said helpfully. "His mama was freakin' out."

"See," Damon said, gesturing towards both kids. "It wasn't his fault. Wasn't Lilly's either."

Daryl ran a hand through his hair. "You know what, you shut your mouth," he snapped. Him and Damon hadn't been on the best of terms since he found out about Sophia. He didn't know why it bothered him so much but it did. The two of them had been together for ten damn years and it just made sense that they would end up having kids eventually but ever since Sophia had dropped the news months ago, he had wanted to punch Damon right in the nose. Damon sighed and looked down at his boots.

"Both of you need to go on up to your rooms and be glad I don't kick you both in the ass," he said sternly. The corner of Mikes mouth turned up as he pushed himself away from the wall. Lilly sighed and hopped down from Buck's lap, making her way towards the doorway, and Daryl, her head down.

He scooped her up just as she passed him. Her blue eyes met his, wide and wet, as her arms went around his neck.

"You mad?" She asked, her bottom lip trembling slightly.

He sighed and shook his head. "Nah, I ain't mad."

"At either of us?" She asked.

He sighed. "Your brother's gotta quit fightin' so damn much."

"It wasn't his fault," she said.

"And the time before this one?" He asked, raising a brow.

She bit her lip. "Well, that was kind of his fault."

"Time before that?"

She tried not to smile. "That might have been his fault too."

"What about the time he had to get that cast on his arm?"

She shook her head. "That wasn't his fault. There was three boys."

"And he hit one of them first," Daryl countered.

"But they called him names. You always tell us not to take any shi-"

"Lilly," Carol warned.

"Crap," Lilly said, flashing Carol a grin. "You can't tell us not to take any crap and then kick our asses when we get into fights."

Carol sighed and threw her hands up. "I give up."

Daryl put the girl down and shoved her gently towards the doorway. "Go on," he grumbled. He looked up at all of the faces staring at him. "What?"

The room was filled with quiet laughter then. He glowered at all of them and flipped them off on his way out of the room.

~H~

Carol followed him through the house and up the stairs. She still found it difficult to watch him deal with his unruly offspring. Sophia had been easy on him because she had pretty much been grown when they met, but these two, they gave him a run for his money.

"Who's first?" Carol asked as they reached the top of the stairs.

Daryl grumbled. "The boy."

"You know, he's just like-"

"Shut it," he said, shooting her a look.

She bit her lip and fought a grin. When they walked in Mikey was laying on his bed, his arms folded behind his head and his feet crossed at the ankles. He sat up. "Okay, let me have it."

Daryl's arms crossed over his chest. "For starters, what have I been tellin' you?"

"That when I get in a fight, it's my own fault."

Daryl nodded. "Exactly. So you know what you did wasn't right."

The boy nodded. "I got mad. Lilly's little and if anybody is gonna push her around it's gonna be me, not those redheaded as-"

"Hey," Carol rose a brow, her hands going to her hips.

He sighed. "Look, I know what you said. You said the same damn thing you always say. No fighting. But Lilly was right. You also tell us not to take crap. I guess now the question is, which is it? You want me to stick up for my little sister or do you want me to sit back and watch boys kick sand in her face? Cause I don't see how I can do both."

Carol studied Daryl's face. He looked torn and finally his eyes came up to meet hers. All she could do was shrug. "He's right."

Daryl threw his hands in the air. "You didn't have to shove sand in their damn mouths, boy! And you know it. You did what you needed to do to stick up for your sister but then you went overboard and that's why I'm pissed."

Mikey leaned back on his elbows. "Grandpa says that you were doing way worse than that when you were my age. He said that he had to come down to the school two or three times a week because you were a raging lunatic as a boy."

Daryl opened his mouth and then closed it again and took a deep breath. "You ain't me. And I ain't Buck and you're gonna listen this time. Quit getting into so much trouble. You need to thump somebodies head, fine, sometimes shit happens, but goddamn it, boy! You gotta stop going over board. Think about your mama. Do you think it don't hurt her to see you in trouble all the time?"

Mikey's smug look faded and he met Carol's eyes before sitting the rest of the way up. Daryl knew his week spot and for all of his bad boy attitude, her son was a complete mama's boy. He tried to hide it but it was true and Daryl was pretty desperate if he was bringing her into it. They were all quiet for a few heavy seconds and then Mikey shook his head. "Okay. I'm sorry about the sand."

Daryl finally breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

"But I ain't sorry for the rest of it," he added.

Daryl growled and gripped the boy by the ankle, yanking him towards him and then throwing him over his shoulder. Mikey laughed and tried to get away before finally giving up. Daryl tossed him back down onto the bed and shook his head. "Sand. That's dirty. You know the neighborhood cats shit in that sandbox."

Mikey grinned. "Yeah, I know. Hope the bastards caught worms."

~H~

Daryl shut the bedroom door and leaned against it heavily. The kids were asleep, the others were gone and now it was just him and Carol. They had went out of town, at the insistence of Buck, just to get away from everything. They had been on the verge of packing up and coming back home anyway but then they had gotten the phone call that Mike had gotten himself into some trouble again.

"It feels good to be home," Carol said with a smile.

"It does. Next time somebody tries to talk us into leaving town, lets just take those two trouble makers with us," he said as he stepped towards her and stripped off his shirt.

"He'll grow out of it," Carol said with a smile.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and tugged on her shirt, which was his shirt that she slept in, until she came a little closer. She pushed his hair back out of his face and grinned before she straddled his hips. He shook his head. "Maybe by the time he's grown but I'm doubting it."

Her lips ghosted over his jaw. "You sleepy?"

He grinned, his hands slipping under the back of her shirt. "Hell no. You?"

"Course not," she said before she kissed him hard. His arms went around her, pulling her closer. Even after all these years, he never seemed to be able to keep her close enough. She pulled away and smiled. "I want you to do something for me though."

He groaned. "What's that?" He asked, already knowing that she was going to bring up is cousin.

"I want you to try to cut Damon some slack. He is such a good man. He loves Sophia and he works hard to take care of her. Can't you just let it go."

He snorted. "Hell no!"

"You knew it was going to happen and I have wonderful news and I can't even share it with you because you're being such a... Daryl."

"What news?" He grumbled.

"I can't tell you because you'll just get even more grumpy. I won't risk it."

"I ain't grumpy. What's the news."

"Twins," Carol grinned.

Daryl's eyes went wide and he dropped onto his back, rolling his eyes. "I shoulda expected that. My God."

She smiled because she was beyond excited and had been waiting to drop this news on him since Sophia had told her about it earlier. "Aren't you even just a little happy? I mean, look at how the Dixon clan is expanding. Piper and Eli made Merle and Randy grandpas three times over. This is good news."

He huffed out a breath and shook his head. "You're right."

Her mouth dropped. "What? Did I just hear you correctly? Are you, Daryl Dixon, admitting that I am right and you aren't?" She cried out when he flipped her onto her back and bit her neck roughly.

"Shut it," he grumbled.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and grinned. "Just look at it this way. You'll be the sexiest thirty seven year old grandpa in the whole state of Georgia."

He growled and then shoved her hands over her head and locking them there. "Keep it up."

"Oh, I plan on it."

He kissed her then, the kind of kiss that had her forgetting that there was even a world outside of the two of them. How he could still make her feel this way after all these years, she didn't know. The anticipation hadn't faded. All the feelings that he had stirred up in her the very first time they had met, were still there. And she knew that he felt the same way.

Their clothes disappeared but he didn't rush. He took his time with her, savoring the moment, enjoying the time that they had with only each other. She had a large beautiful family that she loved more than words could describe but it was this, just being with him, that she looked the most forward to at the end of every day. And she had no doubt that she always would.

 **Okay, so that's it. Hopefully I crossed all my T's and dotted all my I's and didn't leave anything hanging. I am so glad that I shared this instead of keeping it hidden away in my documents. I appreciate all of you that took time out of your life to read it! I just hate to see it end. Hopefully I'll have something else ready soon.**

 **Two of the stories I've been working on have the same OC's, just different worlds. No more bikers, unfortunately. But Piper, Damon, Buck and the rest are being recycled in a few WIP's anyway. I have 9 stories total that need to be finished. Hopefully, whenever they're complete, you guys will tag along for another ride!**

 **Halohunter89, this is just as much your story as it is mine! Thank you for all of the advice and input and for finally saying, "Maybe you should just post it, Dude. If that's what you want to do." I'm glad I did. Much love!**


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